Monaco, as the second-smallest country in the world, is not much of a military power. Aside from a small force of 250 soldiers, it relies entirely on France for its national defense. However, there was a time when this tiny country had to fend for itself on the world stage. Perched on the tip of the Rock of Monaco, Fort Antoine is the most prominent reminder of this era.
At the beginning of the 18th century, Monaco’s Italian neighbor, the Duchy of Savoy, had switched sides in the War of the Spanish Succession, pitting itself against France and its allies. Surrounded by Savoyan troops to the north and blockaded by British ships, Monaco found it could not rely on France for its defense. Prince Antoine I took matters into his own hands, melting down his own silverware and selling family jewels. This was all to finance the construction of fortifications around the city, including the fort that now bears his name. Luckily, the little principality did not have to test its military mettle, and the war ended in 1713 without Monegasque involvement.
While Monaco avowed neutrality during World War II, it was easily occupied by Italy, which used Fort Antoine as an air raid shelter. Once they moved out, the Germans moved in. Prince Louis II, for one, welcomed his new Axis overlords, and exploited his country’s “neutrality” to profit from the war. Monaco became a major hub for German money laundering until September 1944, when the Germans left and American troops arrived. Fort Antoine was badly damaged during the American invasion and laid in ruins for years.
In 1949, Prince Rainier III succeeded his grandfather Louis II to the Monegasque throne. He would soon order the restoration of Fort Antoine—not as a military post, but as a public outdoor theater. The fort still preserves some vestiges of its military past, including a lookout tower. A cannon is brought out to fire on special occasions, such as a royal birth. But most of the time, Fort Antoine is used for hosting concerts, plays, and poetry readings, while boasting some of the best views in Monaco.
