Cathedral of Our Lady Immaculate, Romanesque Revival cathedral in Monaco City, Monaco
The Cathedral of Our Lady Immaculate is a house of prayer in Monaco City built in Romanesque Revival style on the rocky outcrop. Pale stone from La Turbie covers the facade, while columns and vaulted ceilings divide the interior space into sections.
The first stone was laid on 6 January 1875 and work finished on 12 November 1903, on the site of the Saint Nicholas church built in 1252 and demolished in 1874. The new cathedral was consecrated on 11 June 1911. In 1956 the religious wedding of Prince Rainier III and Grace Kelly was held here, broadcast live to some thirty million viewers.
The church serves as the burial place for Monaco's ruling family and draws visitors wishing to see the resting places of Prince Rainier III and Princess Grace. Its interior welcomes worshipers with dark wooden pews and windows that cast colored light across the nave.
Access leads from the main square in Monaco City through a short flight of steps, with the interior remaining cool even on warm days. Visitors should keep noise low and dress respectfully during services and other religious observances.
The retable of Saint Nicholas, painted by the Niçois artist Louis Bréa in August 1500, measures 202 by 260 cm and holds 18 compartments. It stands to the right of the transept, not above the main altar.
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