CENTENARY OF MONTE CARLO

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31079, 7 June 1966, Page 13

CENTENARY OF MONTE CARLO

(N ZP A Reuter— Copyright) MONTE CARLO, June 6. A “grand centenary fortnight” for the birthday of Monte Carlo opened yesterday.

It will be marked by productions of ballet drama, concerts, films and art exhibitions. Celebrations of one kind and another have been going on every week since the beginning of the year. The sovereign ordinance

naming Monte Carlo after the reigning Prince Charles was proclaimed on June 1, 1866. A statue of him has bgen set up, commemorative stamps have been issued, and this month will be divided into Dutch, Belgian and Swedish weeks. There have already been French, Spanish and other national weeks. An exhibition to run until the end of the month shows the influence on Monaco on painters of renown. Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf

Nureyev will dance “Romeo and Juliet” on June 10 and 11. The man to whom Monte Carlo owes its fame as a casino town, Francois Blanc, also sought to make it a meetingplace of the talents in art and learning. The present cultural programme reflects this ambition of its first administrator.

Monte Carlo itself is only a small part of the tiny principality of Monaco, which is ruled over by Prince Rainier. Expansion ahd development

are in full swing in Monaco, with land reclaimed from the sea, skyscrapers going up and new beaches and harbour planned. A new hotel and congress hall is to be built where the Monte Carlo station <used. to stand.

Monaco is proud of its separate status —but it still depends for railway service, telephones, gas and electricity on France, which surrounds it on all sides except for the coast