Situated on a craggy cliff, overlooking the vast Mediterranean Sea is the beautiful town of Monaco-Ville. It is one of the four quarters of Monaco along with Monte Carlo, Fontvieille and La Condamine. Monaco-Ville is an ancient fortified town that extends into the ocean and is popularly known as Le Rocher or the Rock. Remains of the city walls are still visible in some parts of this old fortified town, which in olden days was known as Monoecus.
Monaco-Ville has some interesting places to explore starting with the Place du Palais. Right in the centre of the square is the 13th century Genoese fortress, Palais du Prince. Every day at 11.55 am, one can witness the pompous changing of guards, while the guards are also responsible for the security of the prince and his family. The palace with its elegant rooms such as the 18th century York Bedroom and the pretty 17th century frescos is open to the public when the royal family is not in the palace. If you are visiting in summer, you can enjoy some of the concerts that take place in the palace courtyard.
Leading from the palace, we arrive at the Monaco Cathedral, a Romanesque-Byzantine architectural building built in 1875-1884. It stands in the place of the 13th century Chapel of St Nicolas that had been demolished to make way for the new cathedral. The Musée Océanographique or the Marine Museum sprawls along the sea-front and houses the most grand collection of valuable underwater discoveries, models of submarines and a number of other exhibits. The museum also has a library, aquarium and a laboratory, besides one can get the most beautiful views of the Italian sea coast.
The nearby Moneghetti district also has some great tourist attractions. In fact the south western region of Monaco has the most picturesque scenery and some interesting things to see. Monaco as a whole attracts a lot of rich and famous tourists, not only because of its close proximity to the sea, but also because of its grand casinos, the beautiful landscape and the quiet and peaceful towns. Monaco-Ville although a developed town still has a village like lifestyle, making it an interesting place to visit.
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