Monaco Top Cars Collection, Monaco, Monaco

The Monaco Top Cars Collection host the personal collection of cars acquired by Prince Rainier III of Monaco (1923-2005). The collection contains almost one hundred classic cars made in Europe and the United States. Notable cars in the collection include the Bugatti Type 35 driven by William Grover-Williams that won the inaugural Monaco Grand Prix in 1929, and Sébastien Loeb's Citroën DS3 WRC, which he drove to victory in the 2013 Monte Carlo Rally. 38 cars from the collection were put up for auction in 2012 due to Prince Albert II's desire to re-organise and expand the collection.

The cars are displayed over five levels in a specially constructed space in the Terrasses de Fontvieille, and the museum is open daily.

References:

Wikipedia

Pieter said 3 years ago

Picture number 3, is the 1955 Daimler DK400 ‘Golden Zebra’ Coupé. Although it was shipped in April 1956 for the wedding of Prince Rainier of Monaco and Grace Kelly, the car is owned by and displayd in the Louman Museum in the Netherlands and is not a part of the Monaco Top Cars Collection.

User Reviews

Anumit Sasidharan (3 years ago)
Well worth the 8€ entry fee if you're into cars.

Angela Harvey (3 years ago)
A brilliant collection of cars from all era's, well worth a visit to see the vintage to modern day vehicles and some notes to read too.

Alice M (3 years ago)
This exhibition was simply amazing. Beautiful cars, lovely show. Very interesting.

Michelle Silke (4 years ago)
Amazing collection of new and old vehicles. The collection of F1 cars is great, showing cars from many seasons of racing. So many differnt cars from all over the world. A car lovers paradise. You will need a couple of hours to visit however you could easily spend longer here. The entry price is very reasonable, this is also a wonderful rainy day activity in Monaco.

Victoria Napolitano (4 years ago)
Superb experience. Very professionally laid out car museum. It's a bit hard to find. Note, it is on the end of a shopping mall not truly visible from the street unless you know the area. You will definitely need to get direction prior to taking a trip to visit. Once you are there you wont regret it.

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

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Historic Site of the week

Lorca Castle

Castle of Lorca (Castillo de Lorca) is a fortress of medieval origin constructed between the 9th and 15th centuries. It consists of a series of defensive structures that, during the Middle Ages, made the town and the fortress an impregnable point in the southeast part of the Iberian Peninsula. Lorca Castle was a key strategic point of contention between Christians and Muslims during the Reconquista.

Archaeological excavations have revealed that the site of the castle has been inhabited since Neolithic times.

Muslim Era

It has not been determined exactly when a castle or fortress was first built on the hill. The first written documentation referring to a castle at Lorca is of Muslim origin, which in the 9th century, indicates that the city of Lurqa was an important town in the area ruled by Theudimer (Tudmir). During Muslim rule, Lorca Castle was an impregnable fortress and its interior was divided into two sections by the Espaldón Wall. In the western part, there was an area used to protect livestock and grain in times of danger. The eastern part had a neighbourhood called the barrio de Alcalá.

After Reconquista

Lorca was conquered by the Castilian Infante Don Alfonso, the future Alfonso X, in 1244, and the fortress became a key defensive point against the Kingdom of Granada. For 250 years, Lorca Castle was a watchpoint on the border between the Christian kingdom of Murcia and the Muslim state of Granada.

Alfonso X ordered the construction of the towers known as the Alfonsina and Espolón Towers, and strengthened and fixed the walls. Hardly a trace of the Muslim fortress remained due to this reconstruction. Muslim traces remain in the foundation stones and the wall known as the muro del Espaldón.

The Jewish Quarter was found within the alcazaba, the Moorish fortification, separated from the rest of the city by its walls. The physical separation had the purpose of protecting the Jewish people in the town from harm, but also had the result of keeping Christians and Jews separate, with the Christians inhabiting the lower part of town.

The remains of the Jewish Quarter extended over an area of 5,700 square m, and 12 homes and a synagogue have been found; the synagogue dates from the 14th century and is the only one found in the Murcia. The streets of the town had an irregular layout, adapted to the landscape, and is divided into four terraces. The synagogue was in the central location, and around it were the homes. The homes were of rectangular shape, with various compartmentalized rooms. The living quarters were elevated and a common feature was benches attached to the walls, kitchens, stand for earthenware jars, or cupboards.

Modern history

With the disappearance of the frontier after the conquest of Granada in 1492, Lorca Castle no longer became as important as before. With the expulsion of the Jews by order of Ferdinand and Isabella, Lorca Castle was also depopulated as a result. The castle was abandoned completely, and was almost a complete ruin by the 18th century. In the 19th century, the castle was refurbished due to the War of Spanish Independence. The walls and structures were repaired or modified and its medieval look changed. A battery of cannons was installed, for example, during this time. In 1931 Lorca Castle was declared a National Historic Monument.

Currently, a parador (luxury hotel) has been built within the castle. As a result, archaeological discoveries have been found, including the Jewish Quarter.

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