Cue James Bond theme. A tuxedoed Pierce Brosnan pulls up to the legendary Casino de Monte-Carlo in a classic Aston Martin, gazes upon a red Ferrari parked at the entrance, walks in and takes a seat opposite a beautiful woman with a thick Russian accent and plays a game of baccarat. That iconic scene from the 1995 film GoldenEye is pretty much what you can expect when you rock up to the most famous casino in the world.
Saunter past the parade of supercars gatekeeping Monaco’s mecca of glitz and glamour into a beautifully ornate world where the world’s richest gather in the hopes of multiplying their riches. Built in 1863 by French architect Charles Garnier, the idea for the casino was first conceived by Princess Caroline as a way to save the Principality’s reigning House of Grimaldi from bankruptcy, following the acute loss of tax revenue after the nearby towns of Menton and Roquebrune declared independence from Monaco in 1848. To protect its citizens from avarice, the citizens of Monaco, known as Monegasques, were forbidden from entering the gaming rooms – a ruling enacted on moral grounds and still in effect today.
Curious visitors and tourists, however, are welcome to enter before 1pm each day and admire the Belle Epoque architecture and interiors of Casino de Monte-Carlo, which stands as a glorious specimen of the Gilded Age. Stand in awe as you contemplate the rich tapestry of history that’s unfolded here over 161 years, enveloped by red velvet drapes, bas-relie.
