Welcome to the world’s most prestigious Casino.
The main, projecting façade was completed in 1890.
Designed by French architect Jules Touzet (1850–1914), Officer of the Academy and a graduate of the School of Fine Arts of Paris, the building is enhanced by a wrought-iron awning and two pavilions crowned by domes covered in ceramics which frame the entrance.
From 1890 to 1892, the two turrets were adorned with clocks : one giving the time in Monaco, the other in Paris, whence “La Seine” and “La Méditerranée”, two statues by Italian sculptor Fabio Stecchi (born in Urbino in 1855 – died in Nice), a pupil of Pio Fedi (1816–1892) in Florence, then of Paul Dubois (1829–1905) in Paris. Stecchi first settled in Paris in 1879, then moved to Nice where he lived until his death. Two more statues by this sculptor adorned the façade in 1890, “Le Jour” (“Day”) and “La Nuit” (“Night”), but they were removed and destroyed by the artist himself.
The lateral façade (right) was uniformised in 1906 by architect Arthur Demerlé. A short, elegant balustrade runs along the top, interrupted by bronze sprites carrying torches and figures representing the four seasons.
François Blanc, then his wife Marie, and later his son Camille, called on the services of the best architects and artists of the late 19th century, including Charles Garnier, who had just completed the Paris Opera-House.
They all had a remakable feeling for the concept of spaciousness.
The vast rooms, in which each panel, each frieze were entrusted to these painters or sculptors, convey a feeling of unity through their impressive volumes. The choice of the paintings in each room reinforces this impression, as they are almost all an ode to beauty and the elegance of women. This evocation of women is very different depending on the painters and eras concerned, ranging from the rigor of the Atrium to the fantasy of the Salle Blanche.
Casino comes from “casina”, a small house for courtesans : the first was built in the town of Spa in Belgium in 1762. The casino portrayed here was inaugurated in 1863, a full century later.
The Casino de Monte-Carlo is like a jigsaw-puzzle. The main building dates back to 1863. Over the years, new rooms were built and added on to the main building, to meet clients’ requirements and offer the architecture that we know today.
Though the tale didn’t begin here.
In 1856, Prince Florestan entrusted Léon Langlois and Albert Aubert with the task of “building and running” an establishment which was to be named “Bains de Monaco” : its gaming rooms opened out to the Condamine.
There were very few visitors, as the only way of reaching Monaco consisted of taking the mule-path down from La Turbie or arriving by boat. By November 22nd, 1857, there were no longer any visitors, nor any employees.
Charles III decided to build the “Elysées Alberti”, the future “Casino des Spélugues”, which was then a wild plateau covered with olive-trees.
A road was built. The construction of hotels was completed. The neighbourhood became known as the “Golden Square” as early as 1863.
The Casino’s inauguration that same year was followed by its loss, as it was incapable of paying a player who had won 50,000 F, unless it gave him the Casino itself.
The Hôtel de Paris was inaugurated in 1864.
After making the fortune of Bad Homburg (that he left because its legislation changed and gambling was forbidden), businessman François Blanc took over the Casino and obtained exclusive operating rights for 50 years from the “Société des Bains de Mer et du Cercle des Etrangers”.
He arrived in Monaco with a number of croupiers (which explains why some families in Monaco still have Germanic-sounding names).
In 1878, Charles Garnier transformed the Salle Europe, the Casino’s first gambling room, opting for sobre decoration. The allegorical paintings which have been preserved date back to the Casino’s restoration in 1898. One also finds frescos inspired by the seasons and the idyllic nature in Monaco, not forgetting the eight chandeliers weighing 150 kg, made of Bohemian crystal.
1868 : the steam train arrived in Monaco and the first of five “Cafés de Paris” was built, in the style of an Alpine chalet. It was called the “Café Divan” and offered billiards, a tobacconist’s and the “Parfumerie du Soleil”.
New buildings followed in its wake in 1882, 1890, 1897 (with its current name, in oriental style with a minaret and “Lézardière” terrace) and 1988 (10,000 m2, 500 slot-machines, 8 black jack tables, 6 American roulette tables, 1 craps table) and a restaurant seeting 250 guests, adorned with 16 stained-glass windows, 200 seats on the terrace, 100 seats in the “Parisienne”, 280 seats in the Salon Bellevue.
1869 saw a stream of some 170,000 visitors (Alexandre Dumas, Baron de Rothschild, Baron Haussmann, Jacques Offenbach, Prince Napoleon…)
1873 : Monte-Carlo was the only Casino still operating in Europe.
In 1878, Charles Garnier and the architect Dutrou rebuilt the Casino in only six months (the Atrium and Salle Renaissance) and the Opera-House was finished (in the Gallery, one could admire two landscapes painted by Jundt in 1879, the first a view of Roquebrune Cap Martin as seen from the Casino, and the other a view of the Casino seen from Roquebrune Cap Martin). 2,000 people came to gamble every week, including all the crowned heads of Europe. Sarah Bernhardt inaugurated the Opera-House.
1881 : construction of the Salle des Amériques, the former “Salle Garnier”
1883 : the gardens were laid out.
1890 : introduction of electricity.
1903 : addition of the smoking room and Salle Blanche. Visitors can still admire “Les Grâces Florentines” painted by Gervais who took inspration from the features of Cléo de Mérode, Lyane de Pougy and La Belle Otéro (centre).
Through a friend in the clergy, an Italian countess succeeded in having a gold Louis coin blessed by the Pope. She used it to gamble and won, then lost all her winnings including the gold Louis, which she never recovered. She tried to obtain another blessing, but her attitude had caused a scandal and she finally entered a convent.
The Prince of Nepal could only gamble 5 days a year and had the private salons kept open for the duration of these periods.
A South African gambler played the number of the psalm he heard sung at the Anglican church, and won at roulette. Seeing a new influx of worshippers, the Anglican pastor realised that they were playing the numbers of the psalms and avoided those lower than 36…
The bank went broke when the reserves of money at each table were all paid out. The table was covered with a mourning cloth and more funds were brought in.
Charles Wells broke the bank on several occasions in 1891. He played numbers lower than 10 and pocketed 1,000,000 gold francs. Song-writers in London wrote a song called “The Man who Broke the Bank in Monte-Carlo”. On his return, he bet on number 5 and left with 3,000,000 francs. The English still remember him well. Convicted for cheating, he was sent to prison but the mystery of his amazing success was never elucidated.
1906 : uniformisation of the façade.
1910 : construction of the Cabaret on the site of the former terrace, and the Salle François Médecin (named after the Monégasque architect), also known as the Salle Empire because of its mahogany panelling engraved in gold. It was a private circle to protect high-rollers from indiscreet eyes. The paintings are by Armand Segaud.
The four Super-Privés were created : the Club Anglais, Salon Cuir, Salon Rouge and Super Privé Cabaret, where one could play European and English roulette, Black Jack, Punto Banco, Chemin de Fer.
The chamber music room named after Louis Ganne (conductor, 1862-1923) was inaugurated on December 31st, 1910. In 1948, it was transformed into the Cabaret for performances of “Comedia dell’Arte”.
1911 : Diaghilev, Nijinski, Chaliapine, Edward VII, Caruso and La Belle Otéro were all to be seen at the Casino… Louis II was also a regular patron of the Café de Paris.
1931 : introduction of slot machines with the “Liberty Bell”, invented by an American engineer.
1948 : inauguration of the restaurant Les Privés.
1988 : inauguration of the Train Bleu restaurant, named after the train which brought travellers from the north to the shores of the Mediterranean.
The Casino is a place for gambling, with the prestige and services of a museum :
- a croupier makes his living from the “pourboire gagnant” (initial stake)
- 37 numbers, just one winner, ie. 1/37 = 2.7
Entering the Casino de Monte-Carlo is not just a matter of trying one’s luck at the tables, but also, and above all, entering the legend of a unique place...
