Monaco

Where the name comes from

Monaco comes from Greek Monoikos, “single dwelling”, a title of the hero Heracles worshipped locally; why that name was chosen is uncertain.

First people

Ligurian peoples lived on this coast, and Greek sailors gave the rocky harbour its name.¹

Known for

Monaco is the world’s second-smallest country and is known for its casino at Monte Carlo and the Monaco Grand Prix.²

Outside contact

Genoese settlers built a fortress here in 1215, and the Grimaldis first seized it in 1297.¹

The modern country

In 1861 Monaco gave Menton and Roquebrune to France in a treaty that recognized its independence, which explains its tiny size and its survival as a principality closely tied to France.^3,4