Moneghetti

Moneghetti is the western part of Monaco.

Exotic Gardens
Observatory Caves
Museum of Prehistoric Anthropology

Exotic Gardens

Opened in 1933, it displays remarkable specimens of cactuses with weird and sometimes amazing shapes from Africa or Latin America, aloes from Cape Town, giant agaves from Aztec plateaus.

Favorable climatic factors have permitted the existence of this beautiful garden. With the Mediterranean's influence, the slope of the cliff on which it is situated, facilitating the drainage of rain waters, its orientation, offering the best angle for sun rays and its privileged geographical location, protected by the mountainous screen formed by the Tête de Chien and the Mont-Agel, all the ideal conditions are met to enable the 7,000 or so varieties of plants to develop.

Strolling along the foot-bridges high above the cliff, with a splendid view over the Principality and eastwards along the coast, the visitor cannot fail to be impressed by the diversity of the forms of the subtropical flora, made up of highly unusual exotic essences, surrounding the Observatory Cave, featuring weird rock formations.

Observatory Caves

The caves are situated in the very enclosure of the Exotic Gardens. Important renovation works have taken place and visitors can admire 60 m below ground, a prehistoric habitat and magnificent chalky concretions with strange shapes, shown off to advantage by lighting effects.

Museum of Prehistoric Anthropology

Founded by Prince Albert I and opened in 1902, the Museum was transferred inside a modern building, near the Exotic Gardens. It houses the collections from the excavations of the Grimaldi Caves, located at the Franco-Italian border at the Saint-Louis Bridge, and those carried out on the Principality's very territory. Numerous remnants from prehistoric eras can be found and, especially, Negroid and Cro-Magnon type skeletons, silexes and bones from extinct animal species.