Rock of Monaco
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| History of Monaco |
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Rock of Monaco |
The Rock of Monaco has always been a coveted possession, from the nation's beginning as the Greek colony of Monoïkos, the Ligurian tribes who occupied the area vied for control of it, and before that it was a shelter for primitive populations. The Rock was also the first conquest of the Grimaldi dynasty, the rulers of the country for more than 700 years, when the Guelf François Grimaldi disguised himself as a Franciscan monk in order to gain entry to the city and open the gates for his soldiers.
Today, the Rock is in the oldest of Monaco's five quarters, Monaco-Ville, which is also the location of Old Town, the oldest known part of the city. This is not far from the Prince's Palace (or Palace du Palais in French), home of the current Monarch, Albert II and the Royal Family, the Cathedral, the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco, and is a popular tourist attraction.
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