More than a stage for risk and fortune, the Casino embodies the deep roots of Monegasque identity, serving as an iconic national treasure.
By Koly Setten
Conceived as an architectural masterpiece, the Casino de Monte-Carlo is more than a gaming venue; it’s a cultural and historical symbol of the Principality. Its beauty, elegance, and sophisticated allure embody Monaco’s spirit, reflecting the ambition that turned the small state into an international icon of style and refinement.
BIRTH OF AN ICON
Just steps from Monaco’s train station, Villa Bellevue, a modest building at 49 rue Grimaldi, holds the origins of a story that changed the Principality’s fate. In 1856, facing severe hardship, Prince Florestan I authorised a gambling hall, with journalists Albert Aubert and Léon Langlois choosing Villa Bellevue as its first home. However, the venture struggled due to its isolated location and lack of infrastructure. The real turning point came in 1856 when Charles Honoré Grimaldi became Charles III. Under his leadership, and with a 4 million franc compensation from France in 1861, Monaco began a new era. In 1863, Charles III granted François Blanca 50-year monopoly on casinos. Blanc chose the deserted Les Spélugues, establishing the Société des Bains de Mer (SBM), which opened the Hôtel de Paris in 1864 and the Café de Paris in 1868. In 1866, the area was renamed Monte-Carlo. The Casino de Monte-Carlo, designed by Charles Garnier, was completed in 1879, and with the railway’s arrival, Monaco became a magnet for Europe’s elite. By 1869, revenues allowed Charles III to abolish all personal, property, and land taxes, attracting wealthy investors worldwide.
THE GENESIS OF VISUAL GLAMOUR
With its majestic Belle Époque façade, the Casino de Monte- Carlo is far more than a gaming venue; it is an architectural and artistic masterpiece. From the exterior, the eye is drawn to its elegant twin towers, once housing clocks synchronised with Paris and Monaco, the allegorical sculptures of the Seine and the Mediterranean by Fabio Stecchi, and a grannd entrance features ornate decorations, including a striking and whimsical motif of roulette wheels and casino chips. Inside, the splendour continues: seven gaming rooms are interspersed with private salons and exclusive spaces for elite guests. Murals, gilded stuccoes, stained glass, detailed mouldings, and sculptures harmonise with the spirit of the game. Every room radiates luxury, particularly the Bohemian crystal chandeliers, each weighing over 150 kilograms, casting a warm, regal glow throughout. Perhaps the most spectacular room is the Salle Europe, impressive in both scale and detail: a glass ceiling filters shimmering light in hues of blue, pink, and violet, while eight monumental chandeliers illuminate walls adorned with paintings by Paul Steck, Pedro Ribera, Georges Picard, and Félix-Hippolyte Lucas. Inspired by themes of nature and femininity, their works lend the room a poetic grace. Among the most captivating salons is the Salle Blanche, built in 1903 as a reading room for gamblers’ companions and now hosting VIPs in a luminous space with gold and blue motifs, bay windows, and Le Grazie Fiorentine by Paul Gervais, whose muses are said to be famed courtesans Liane de Pougy, Émilienne d’Alençon, and La Belle Otéro. Equally striking is the Salon Rose, once a smoking room, with its dark tones, frescoes of women in 18th-century dress, and a cheeky cherub whose gaze follows guests throughout the room. Other rooms reflect similar charm and originality: the Salle des Amériques (1881), designed by Charles Garnier, blends modern slot machines with classical artworks by Alma Tadema and Bokelman; while the Salles Jumelles (1890) by Jules Touzet feature Art Nouveau touches, stained glass, botanical patterns, and feminine portraits. The journey culminates in the Salle Médecin, created in 1910 by architect Julien Médecin for high-level tournaments. Here, bas-reliefs of Helios and Selene frame works by Armand Segaud, who painted allegories of the four phases of the day, morning, noon, evening, and night. Complementing the expe- rience are fine dining destinations like Blue Bay, Buddha-Bar Monte-Carlo, and Café de Paris, each strengthening the link between Monte-Carlo and haute gastronomy, also celebrated by the Festival des Etoilés. The Casino stands proudly at the heart of the Carré d’Or, Monaco’s famed “Golden Square”, a district defined by elegance, exclusivity, and art de vivre.
CRAFTED FOR FORTUNE
Behind the magnificent gaming rooms of the Casino de Monte-Carlo are true artisans: carpenters, cabinetmakers, upholsterers, and mechanics, who still work today in the workshops of the Société des Bains de Mer. Here, centuries-old tradition blends with modern techniques to create pieces that go far beyond simple furnishings. Every table, roulette wheel, and scoreboard is crafted with meticulous precision and care. Unique in the world, the Casino continues to produce and maintain its own gaming equipment through the Ateliers des Jeux, the heart of Monaco’s artisanal excellence. Every detail, from form to finish, reflects Monte-Carlo’s signature elegance. A standout example: the roulette cylinders, unchanged since 1863, are meticulously maintained to ensure flawless operation. The true masterpieces are the scoreboards. Over a hundred are crafted each year using traditional techniques, including a delicate fading process with nitric acid and the hand-embroidered red lozenge. Every step is done by hand, with extreme precision, and installing each scoreboard transforms the table into a work of art. The artisans use only the finest materials: taurillon leather from the Carriat tannery, lambskin from Richard, and jetons (casino chips) produced by Bourgogne & Grasset.
BEYOND THE GAME
The Casino de Monte-Carlo is also a true icon of popular culture, inspiring literature, music, and cinema. Its global fame made it the perfect setting for Ian Fleming’s “Casino Royale” (1953), placing “Agent 007” in Monte-Carlo’s glamorous world. From “Never Say Never Again” (1983), starring Sean Connery, featuring the famous tango scene with Kim Basinger, to “GoldenEye” (1995), starring Pierce Brosnan, the Casino has played a starring role in the Bond legacy. Its cultural reach extends beyond film. Fyodor Dostoevsky, after heavy losses at the tables, wrote The Gambler in just four weeks to pay his debts. Even Alexandre Dumas frequented Monte-Carlo, adding to the Casino’s enduring mystique. Today, James BondTM slot machines celebrate a cinematic bond that remains timeless.
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