Monte Carlo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Monte Carlo
|
|
|---|---|
|
Quarter and ward
|
|
A view of Monte Carlo
|
|
Monte Carlo in Monaco (ward shown)
|
|
 Monte Carlo
Location in Europe
|
|
| Country |  Monaco |
| Established | 1 June 1866 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Principality |
| Area | |
| • Urban | 0.281 km2 (0.109 sq mi) |
| Population | |
| • Quarter and ward | 15,200 (in the quarter) 3,500 (in the ward) |
| Postcode |
98000
|
Monte Carlo is a famous area in Monaco, a small country in Europe. It's known for its luxury, beautiful views, and exciting events. The name "Monte Carlo" means "Mount Charles."
This area is officially a ward (a type of district) called Monte Carlo/Spélugues. It's where the famous Monte Carlo Casino is located. Sometimes, people use "Monte Carlo" to talk about a larger area called the Monte Carlo Quarter. This quarter includes other smaller areas like La Rousse/Saint Roman and Larvotto.
Monte Carlo is built on a hill by the sea, next to the French Riviera. It's famous for its "Place du Casino," a square that has made Monte Carlo known worldwide for its fancy lifestyle. Here you'll find the Hôtel de Paris, the Café de Paris, and the Salle Garnier, which is a theater for opera.
The eastern part of Monte Carlo has Larvotto, which is home to Monaco's only public beach. It also has a modern convention center called the Grimaldi Forum. Right on its eastern edge, you can cross into the French town of Beausoleil.
Contents
History of Monte Carlo: How it Became Famous
In 1856, Charles III of Monaco, who was the ruler, allowed two people, Napoleon Langlois and Albert Aubert, to build a special place for sea-bathing and a casino. The idea was to help people with their health and bring in money.
The first casino opened in 1862 in a different part of Monaco, but it wasn't very successful. It moved a few times before settling in its current spot in Monte Carlo. At first, not many people came because it was hard to get to Monaco.
Things changed in 1868 when a railway was built. This made it much easier for people from all over Europe to visit. With more visitors, Monte Carlo quickly became rich and famous.
The Saint-Charles Church was finished in 1883. It stands on Avenue Sainte-Charles in Monte Carlo. The church was repaired and updated 100 years after it was built.
In 1911, Monte Carlo became its own municipality, like a separate town, within Monaco. This was part of a new constitution for the principality. However, in 1917, these municipalities were merged back together to form wards. Today, Monaco has 9 wards, which are grouped into 4 larger areas called quarters.
From 1898 to 1931, Monte Carlo had a tram system. This tram connected all parts of Monaco, making it easy to travel around. In 2003, a new pier was built in Monte Carlo's harbor for cruise ships.
Geography and Climate of Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo covers an area of about 0.28 square kilometers. It sits right on the Mediterranean Sea. To its west, it borders Ravin de Sainte-Dévote and La Condamine. To its east, it borders La Rousse and Larvotto.
Weather in Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate. This means it has warm, dry summers and mild, rainy winters. The weather is also a bit influenced by the ocean.
| Climate data for Monte Carlo, Monaco | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 12.5 (54.5) |
13.1 (55.6) |
14.5 (58.1) |
16.7 (62.1) |
19.8 (67.6) |
23.3 (73.9) |
26.4 (79.5) |
26.6 (79.9) |
24.2 (75.6) |
20.8 (69.4) |
16.2 (61.2) |
13.5 (56.3) |
19.0 (66.2) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 8.7 (47.7) |
9.4 (48.9) |
10.9 (51.6) |
13.2 (55.8) |
16.4 (61.5) |
19.9 (67.8) |
22.9 (73.2) |
23.0 (73.4) |
20.5 (68.9) |
17.0 (62.6) |
12.4 (54.3) |
9.6 (49.3) |
15.3 (59.5) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 4.9 (40.8) |
5.6 (42.1) |
7.2 (45.0) |
9.7 (49.5) |
13.0 (55.4) |
16.4 (61.5) |
19.3 (66.7) |
19.3 (66.7) |
16.9 (62.4) |
13.2 (55.8) |
8.6 (47.5) |
5.7 (42.3) |
11.7 (53.1) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 82.7 (3.26) |
76.4 (3.01) |
70.5 (2.78) |
62.2 (2.45) |
48.6 (1.91) |
36.9 (1.45) |
15.6 (0.61) |
31.3 (1.23) |
54.4 (2.14) |
108.2 (4.26) |
104.2 (4.10) |
77.5 (3.05) |
768.5 (30.26) |
| Average precipitation days | 6.8 | 6.4 | 6.1 | 6.3 | 5.2 | 4.1 | 1.9 | 3.1 | 4.0 | 5.8 | 7.0 | 6.0 | 62.7 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 148.8 | 152.6 | 201.5 | 228.0 | 269.7 | 297.0 | 341.0 | 306.9 | 240.0 | 204.6 | 156.0 | 142.6 | 2,668.7 |
| Percent possible sunshine | 53 | 55 | 54 | 58 | 58 | 66 | 73 | 71 | 67 | 60 | 52 | 51 | 60 |
| Source 1: Hong Kong Observatory | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: Weather Atlas (possible sunshine) | |||||||||||||
| Climate data for Monaco | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 12.3 (54.1) |
12.5 (54.5) |
14.0 (57.2) |
16.1 (61.0) |
19.4 (66.9) |
23.0 (73.4) |
25.8 (78.4) |
25.9 (78.6) |
23.8 (74.8) |
19.9 (67.8) |
16.1 (61.0) |
13.4 (56.1) |
18.5 (65.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 8.1 (46.6) |
8.2 (46.8) |
9.6 (49.3) |
11.6 (52.9) |
14.8 (58.6) |
18.5 (65.3) |
21.2 (70.2) |
21.5 (70.7) |
19.3 (66.7) |
15.6 (60.1) |
11.9 (53.4) |
9.3 (48.7) |
14.1 (57.4) |
| Average precipitation days | 5.9 | 5.2 | 6.7 | 6.0 | 5.6 | 2.8 | 1.3 | 2.5 | 4.5 | 7.5 | 7.7 | 6.8 | 62.5 |
| Source: Monaco website | |||||||||||||
| Climate data for Monte Carlo | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average sea temperature °C (°F) | 13.4 (56.2) |
13.0 (55.5) |
13.4 (56.1) |
14.6 (58.4) |
18.0 (64.3) |
21.8 (71.3) |
23.1 (73.6) |
23.6 (74.4) |
22.2 (71.9) |
19.6 (67.2) |
17.4 (63.3) |
14.9 (58.9) |
17.9 (64.3) |
| Mean daily daylight hours | 9.0 | 10.0 | 12.0 | 13.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 | 14.0 | 12.0 | 11.0 | 10.0 | 9.0 | 12.1 |
| Average Ultraviolet index | 1 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4.4 |
| Source: Weather Atlas | |||||||||||||
Sports and Events in Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo is a big center for sports and exciting events. It hosts a major tennis tournament called the ATP Masters 1000. This event happens on clay courts, usually in late March or April. Many professional tennis players live in Monte Carlo because of its favorable tax rules.
The famous Formula One Monaco Grand Prix takes place mostly on the Circuit de Monaco in Monte Carlo. This race is a huge event watched by millions. Monte Carlo also hosts world championship boxing matches and big poker tournaments.
Other events include the World Backgammon Championship and the Monaco International Auto Show. The Monte Carlo Rally is one of the oldest and most respected car rallies. It often starts the World Rally Championship season. Even though it's called the Monte Carlo Rally, most of the race happens on roads in France.
Tourism and Famous Places to Visit
Monte Carlo has been a popular place for royalty, movie stars, and tourists for many years. It's one of Europe's top tourist spots. While Monte Carlo has many attractions, some of Monaco's most famous sights are in other parts of the country. These include Monaco Cathedral, the Napoleon Museum, and the Oceanographic Museum. The Prince's Palace is also a must-see.
The Salle Garnier: Monte Carlo's Opera House
The Opéra de Monte-Carlo, also known as the Salle Garnier, is a beautiful opera house. It was designed by Charles Garnier, who also designed the famous Paris opera house. The Salle Garnier is smaller but looks very similar, with red and gold decorations. It has amazing frescoes and sculptures.
The opera house opened on January 25, 1879. A famous actress named Sarah Bernhardt performed there on its opening night. The first opera was Le Chevalier Gaston on February 8, 1879. Many famous singers have performed here over the years.
Hôtel de Paris: A Grand Hotel
The Hôtel de Paris was built in 1864 by Charles III of Monaco. It's located right in the center of Monte Carlo, next to the Place du Casino. This hotel is part of a group of very fancy hotels in Monaco.
The hotel has 106 rooms. These rooms are grouped by their view, how they are decorated, and how luxurious they are. There are rooms with city views, courtyard views, and sea views. Some even have views of the casino.
Besides rooms, the hotel also has 74 suites and junior suites. These offer even more luxury. Some suites are single or double, and there are junior suites with courtyard or sea/casino views. There's even a special Presidential suite. In 2014, the hotel started a big renovation project. They added a new garden, a spa, a fitness area, and even a "rooftop villa" with a private garden and pool.
Monte Carlo in Pop Culture: Films, Books, and Music
Monte Carlo has been a popular setting for many films, books, TV shows, and video games.
Monte Carlo in Movies
- Foolish Wives (1922), though filmed in California.
- To Catch a Thief (1954), an Alfred Hitchcock film starring Cary Grant and Grace Kelly.
- Grand Prix (1966), a racing film.
- Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo (1977), a fun movie about a car.
- The James Bond films Never Say Never Again (1983) and GoldenEye (1995) feature the Monte Carlo Casino.
- Iron Man 2 (2010) shows the Monaco Grand Prix.
- Monte Carlo (2011), a movie named after the city.
- The animated film Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted (2012) also features the casino.
Monte Carlo in Books
- Edith Wharton's novel The House of Mirth (1905) uses Monte Carlo as a backdrop.
- The first part of the famous novel Rebecca (1938) is set in Monte Carlo.
Monte Carlo in Music
- The opera The Grand Duke (1896) by Gilbert and Sullivan has characters called the Prince and Princess of Monte Carlo.
- "Monte Carlo Nights" is a song by Grover Washington Jr from 2001.
- "Goin' Down To Monte Carlo" is a song by Van Morrison from 2012.
Monte Carlo in Television and Video Games
- The British TV show Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) had an episode set in Monte Carlo.
- The TV series The Bold and the Beautiful filmed episodes in Monte Carlo in 2016 and 2017.
- The Gran Turismo video game series often features Monte Carlo.
- The game Monaco: What's Yours is Mine is set in Monaco.
- Many Formula One video games include the historic Circuit de Monaco.
- The DiRT series features Monte Carlo as rally stages.
Twin Cities
Monte Carlo has special connections with other cities around the world, called "twin cities":
|
Famous People Living in Monte Carlo
Many well-known people, especially athletes and musicians, live in Monte Carlo. This is partly because of its beautiful location and lifestyle.
|
|
Images for kids
-
Panorama of La Condamine and Monte Carlo from the lookout near the Prince's Palace of Monaco in Monaco-Ville
-
Monte Carlo city panorama from train station, May 2015
-
Monte-Carlo at night from the pier
-
Place du Casino, Monte Carlo
-
Hotel de Paris, Monaco
-
Interior of Hotel Hermitage Monte Carlo
-
Buildings
-
Monte Carlo
.jpg)
.jpg)
See also
In Spanish: Montecarlo para niños
