Gouvernement Princier de Monaco
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Expansion and development

1960-1965: expansion of Le Portier, Larvotto and Sporting

Under the reign of Prince Rainier III, aptly nicknamed “the builder prince”, the surface area of the Principality grew by a fifth of its previous size. Reduced to 145 hectares in 1861 following the separation of Menton and Roquebrune, the surface area of the Principality grew to 202 hectares by 2005. The first embankment to be built, between 1958 and 1961, was in the district of Le Portier with an area of 35,000 m2. In 1966 it became the site of the “Centennial Hall", the exhibition hall for the Centenary of Monte Carlo.  The original development project was to build an auditorium and convention centre as well as an open-air theatre.

This vision was finally realised with the construction of the Grimaldi Forum between 1992 and 2000. During this same period an artificial beach was created in order to solve the lack of bathing areas. The embankment of Larvotto was built on the eastern edge of the Principality, between 1961 and 1963, with a surface area of 54,000 m2.

1964: the railroad goes underground

The conversion of the railway system to an underground network was an essential condition for the large scale development of the Monegasque territory, as indicated in an urban development project by Le Corbusier, made at the request of Jacques Rueff, Minister of State at the beginning of the reign of Prince Rainier III. Construction of the underground railway, for which negotiations had begun with the SNCF in 1954, was completed in 1964. As Prince Rainier III stated in his speech at the inauguration of the underground line “conversion to an underground railway network was an absolute necessity if we wish to initiate and complete the great plans of urbanisation and development in different districts of the Principality.”

1966-1973: construction of Fontvieille

Limited by the size of its territory, the Principality expanded into the sea. The first embankment was the area of Le Portier, built between 1958 and 1961, followed by Larvotto between 1961 and 1963. The most ambitious project, however, was the construction of the area of Fontvieille, where the sea bed shelves rapidly, reaching depths of 30 to 40 metres. The initial project for an embankment of 400,000 m2 was soon abandoned due to its environmental impact. In the end  an area of 220,000 m2 was reclaimed from the sea, creating a marina of 55,000 m2.
Honouring the terms of the contract that had been held for 50 years, the company that built the Fontvieille Embankment granted the area back to the state. Following the urban development of the embankment it was then possible to begin construction of the Louis II Stadium, social housing, industrial estates and administrative and commercial areas. The embankment  also increased the number of boats that could be received by the Principality.

Sous titre :
1960-1973

Date de début :
1960

Type de bulle :


Ordre précédent/suivant :
20

Couronne ? :
No

https://en.gouv.mc/Government-Institutions/History-and-Heritage/Periods/Crisis-and-renewal-20-sup-th-sup-century/Expansion-and-development