November 24, 2009
(Monaco)- Monte Carlo doesn't do things by halves; the fourth edition of its Jazz Festival this week promises to be glamorous and exciting, with a good mix of masters of the genre and musicians of younger generations. Concerts take place around the Principality, including at the Casino and the sumptuous Salle Garnier inside the Opera, as well as smaller, more intimate venues. Herbie Hancock and John Scofield are the big stars expected this year, but don't let that stop you from discovering unknown talents.XXX
XXXFounded in 1866, Monte Carlo has a name of Italian origin meaning "Mount Charles". Named in compliment to the prince then reigning, Charles III of Monaco. The specific mountain is the escarpment at the foot of the Maritime Alps on which the town stands. Charles III of Monaco was responsible for turning Monte Carlo into a thriving town. However, the history of the area and the ruling Grimaldi familia dates back centuries. The port of Monaco is first mentioned in historical records back in 43 BCE, when Julius Caesar concentrated his fleet there while waiting in vain for Pompey. In the 12th century, the area fell under the sovereignty of Genoa who was granted the entire coastline from Porto Venere to Monaco. After much conflict, the Grimaldis retrieved the rock in 1295, but suffered a significant amount of opposition over the years. In 1506 the Monegasques, under Lucien, Lord of Monaco, were under siege for some four months by the Genoan army with ten times the number of men. Monaco officially received full autonomy in 1524, but it had a turbulent history to retain its power and on occasions briefly fell under the domination of Spain, Sardinia, and France.
XXX
XXXIn the 1850s Monaco’s reigning family was almost bankrupt, caused by the loss of two towns, which provided most of the Principality’s revenues with their lemon, orange and olive crops. At this time a number of small towns in Europe were growing in prosperity with gambling establishments, notably in German towns such as Baden-Baden and Homburg. In 1856, Charles III of Monaco gave a concession to Napoleon Langlois and Albert Aubert to establish a sea-bathing facility for the treatment of various diseases and build a German-style casino in Monaco. The success of the casino grew slowly, largely due to the area's inaccessibility from much of Europe. The installation of the railway in 1868, however, brought with it an influx of people into Monte Carlo and saw it grow in wealth. In 1911, the Constitution divided the principality of Monaco in 3 municipalities, the municipality of Monte Carlo was created covering the existing neighborhoods of La Rousse / Saint Roman, Larvotto / Bas Moulins and Saint Michel. In 1917, it returned to a single area throughout the principality. Today Monaco however is divided into 11 quarters. (from whatsonwhen.com and wikipedia.org)
XXX
Discover more:
0 Comments:
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
