Why go
The century explains the modern state behind the familiar landmarks. A constitution limited princely rule, the Second World War brought occupation and persecution, and Rainier III’s reign made the family internationally visible while institutions continued to change. It is also a reminder that wartime history belongs in the story of this small state.
The full story
The Monégasque Revolution led to a constitution in 1911, ending the princes’ formally absolute rule. A 1918 treaty then set out Monaco’s close relationship with France in international and security matters. These changes help explain why the principality remained sovereign while closely tied to its larger neighbour. The Second World War brought occupation by Italian and then German forces. Jewish residents faced persecution and deportation. René Blum, a founder of the Ballet de l’Opéra in Monte Carlo, was arrested in France and killed at Auschwitz. This history belongs alongside the cultural buildings and princely story; it should not disappear behind Monte Carlo’s later image. Rainier III came to the throne in 1949. His marriage to Grace Kelly in 1956 drew worldwide attention, while a 1962 constitutional revision expanded political rights, including women’s suffrage. Monaco joined the United Nations in 1993. Together, these events trace the shift from a small court and resort economy toward a modern state with a more visible international role.