Sunny place for dark personalities?
The smallest state of the world is a loud name – the Principality of Monaco, and he has every reason to qualify for an honorable place in history.
Monegasy for the monarch
Constantly in Monaco live about 30 thousand people, of which only six thousand can be called printedness subjects – this is a mongeo. So, the monk natives are referred to themselves, proud of their origin from the ancient ligriors and the preservation of the traditional, almost medieval, political system. This system, however, will slightly affect the influence of the principles of freedom, equality and fraternity progressive in the neighboring French, under the proportion of which Monaco is from 1918. However, in the internal affairs of the political relic of Middle Ages, France does not interfere, taking on only obligations on his defense.
It is estimated that representatives of 121 nationalities live in Monaco (including 12 thousand French), but they all, unlike Monegaskov, do not have any constitutional rights. Megars and all foreigners (except the French) living in Monaco all year round, do not pay income tax. They also pay for real estate taxes and cars. Monegska is a kind of local aristocracy, they have a preferential right to foreigners when admission to work, and in any industry. It is curious that every third male-mongearsk serves in the police. In addition, only 3 percent. Monegaskov live in their own homes, the remaining for a symbolic fee provides housing. Moreover, to become a mongear, it is not enough to be born in Monaco, you need to be born in the family of Monegaskov or get into the list of persons (usually there are no more than a dozen), which the prince of Renia for special merit gives monk citizenship annually. And although French is a language for communicating in Monaco, the Schools study and Mongeo – one of the ancient Ligurian dialects.
It always seemed to me that the capital of Monaco is called Monte Carlo – so, in any case, teach in schools in schools. But, walking through the monk winding boulevards and Avenue, communicating among themselves with the help of a well-established elevator system, whose mines are worn in the rocks, I found that Monte Carlo is only a business part of the united city complex, called the Monaco Principality. Three other parts of it are Monakilla (the Old Town, where the Palace of Prince), Condamine (Port Area) and Fontoville – a new area that has grown on metal stamps on the territory conquered by the sea. By the way, Monte Carlo, in the center of which the famous casino is located, built in 1866. Monk Prince Karl III, who gave him his name.
The story of Monaco dates back to the XIII century. June 10, 1215. It is considered the birthday of the principality. It was then precisely then Gibbhelin’s Gheezers, under the leadership of Fulco del Caserelo, laid down the fortress on a high rock – on the spot where the Palace of Prince Rainier III is being tested now from the Grimaldi dynasty.
The current prince rules from 1949. Wide resonance in the world caused his marriage in 1956. On the Hollywood Superstside Grace Kelly, who died in a car accident in 1982. From this marriage of Prince Three children: 45-year-old Princess Carolina (patroness of the arts, unlawful Minister of Culture Monaco), 44-year-old heir to the throne Prince Albert and 36-year-old Princess Stephenia.
Stefania brings a lot of hassle with its plump character, dislike for etiquette and stormy novels. Now, after a divorce with another husband, his former bodyguard, in full swing, her novel with the Swiss Elephant Trainer Franco Protection. Stephania along with three children two months last year nomaded in Europe with the Swiss Circus.
Her older sister of Princess Carolina is considered to be in Monaco the most intelligent and capable member of the August family. It demonstrates much greater political dynamism and administrative abilities than her brother, the official heir to the throne. Albert in his 44 years is still not married and does not roll out special thrust for state activities. After Carolina married the Prince of Ernsta-August, Hannover – a direct descendant of the British Queen Victoria, – in Monaco began to happen to the abolition of the Salia Law on the Preconseed Chair, according to which the throne in the principality is inherited only by the male line. By the way, if the English parliament did not cancel this law in due time, Prince Ernst-August, and not Elizabeth II, would be now the British monarch.
Principality of Monaco is the only country in Europe, where the monarch has a real (and almost absolute) authority. Formally Monaco – Constitutional Monarchy. However, legislative power in the country, according to the Constitution 1962., belongs to the prince and national advice – parliament, although only the prince is free to ratify international treaties. And if we consider that the government, which, by the way, the prince himself and assigns, shall be responsible to him, not in front of Parliament, in a genuine sense of the phrase begins to fill only the second part.
Society of sea bathing
The perfect purity of the city is adjacent to the almost complete absence of crime. Three times less unemployed in the country than the musicians of the Monk Symphony Orchestra (90 people are listed in the orchestra).
And casino in Monte Carlo, and the majority of hotels and restaurants in the country belong to the state company with several archaic and mysterious name . What is explained noticeable everywhere in Monaco the economic boom and unusual for many countries atmosphere of contentment and well-being? I managed to get an answer to this issue of the Minister of Industry and Trade of Principles Jean-Fields Compare. .
The mystery of the Monactian courtyard and monk economic prosperity is that the prince simply prefers to cut in its offshore zone, and other sheep of branners. Taxes that he receives from foreign banks and companies make up the lion’s share of the entire budget of the country. The dynamics of economic growth Monaco is similar to scientific and economic fiction. From 1980s to 2000 g. More than 10 times the gross national product increased.
Offshor as offshore
Somerset Moem called Monaco many years ago . To some extent it is still so. French government has repeatedly accused Monaco in the fact that the money of the Italian mafia was laundered there and that the principality, in fact, turned into one of the European money laundering centers and tax evasion. However, it is unlikely that something will change in this regard in the future.
Monk politicians claim that the principality managed to preserve its independence only due to the fact that his rulers were skillfully balanced on the verge of this kind . And I must say that the image of Monaco arising in a hundred years as a huge casino, it is though as this particular policy.
It is impossible to be in Monte Carlo and avoid the collaboration of the casino; It attracts even its pompous, eclectic style building built by Charles Garnier (architect of Paris). Do not believe that novice players in the roulette is lucky. I was lucky only on the first day. For three evenings, which I spent in the casino, I made a mine (considerable) contribution to the monk budget. In the casino two halls: general and . By paying 100 francs for the entrance and presenting a passport from which the photocopy was removed, I get into the private hall (almost three communicating halls), where, in addition to the roulette, they are played in Black Jack; Part of one of the halls is assigned to the restaurant – dinner there makes sense only after a very serious win. Minimum rates in roulette from the 20th to 200 francs. The public is rather different. On the third day, the Italian Mafiosis was played with me, behind which two bodyguards loomed. Within three hours, he covered the table with chips of five thousand and ten thousand francs, won a lot and lost the same, drinking champagne. However, we finished the same: when the croupier took my last chip, the Italian smiled me fun and said in French: .
Come to us for Christmas
It is clear that in a country that looks almost political anachronism, in every way the traditions and customs go out in the past. Carnival, religious procession (most Monegasques Catholics), the celebration of St. Rainier and holy pilgrim (patron saint of Monaco), a special celebration ritual Monegasque Christmas – such customs and traditional holidays do not count. They are noted almost every month.
One of the most touching of the preserved customs is the celebration of Orthodox Christmas on January 6. This custom was brought to Monte Carlo our aristocrats; Many of them spent the winter in Monaco and in the French Riviera. Celebrating Orthodox Christmas takes place in the magnificent hall of the luxury hotels in Monte Carlo, where long live Prince Yusupov, Count Shuvalov, Princess Vorontsova-Dashkova, the Grand Dukes of the House of Romanov. Next to my hotel, I got the street Sergey Dyagileva, whose troupe of the our ballet one time settled in Monte Carlo. Is there a street of his name in Moscow or St. Petersburg? I don’t remember something.
