Ten Years of Discoveries and Restoration of the Frescoes at the Prince’s Palace of Monaco.

19–21 March 2026

In 2013, when the first team responsible for the maintenance and refurbishment of the decorative schemes arrived at the Palace, no one could have foreseen the scientific, historical, and human adventure that was about to unfold. What began as a decorative painting project gradually evolved into a fascinating series of discoveries of Late Renaissance frescoes, revealing on the Palace ceilings a monumental allegory of the history of the Grimaldi family from the sixteenth century onwards. The works, undertaken at the initiative of H.S.H. Prince Albert II and guided by a commitment to sustainability, place the Sovereign in the lineage of His forebears—great artistic patrons who were deeply committed to preserving, restoring, and enhancing their palace.

While common historiography dates the origins of the building at the beginning of the 13th century, the siege led by the Genoese in 1506–1507 profoundly affected the fate of the original fortress. The works carried out subsequently by Augustin Grimaldi and by Étienne Grimaldi—guardian of Honoré I—transformed the “old castle” into a true Renaissance palace. The second quarter of the sixteenth century proved decisive in the history of the residence of the Grimaldi lords of Monaco, which, over the course of a few decades, acquired an appearance close to that which we know today, following ten years of restoration.

A true laboratory for research and experimentation, the project to conserve and restore the frescoes led to the unveiling of an authentic masterpiece, elevating the Prince’s Palace of Monaco to the rank of a major monument of European heritage. All the research work guiding and accompanying this rediscovery will be presented at the multidisciplinary colloquium to be held in Monaco on 19, 20, and 21 March 2026.