Monaco’s most ambitious and transformative construction project ever is about to be officially inaugurated! On 4 December 2024, Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene will open Mareterra, the new district built on top of the sea, adding 3% to Monaco’s surface area.
The residential, cultural and recreational spaces designed to celebrate the spirit of the Mediterranean have been built using pioneering and sustainable techniques. Spanning from the Grimaldi Forum to the Formula One Grand Prix tunnel, the 6-hectare project will forever transform the Principality.
“I wanted this new area to embody the excellence and conviviality which distinguish the Principality of Monaco so well. Mareterra will integrate perfectly with our shoreline, and will be seen as a natural extension of our territory,” – Prince Albert II.
Workers are currently busy getting Mareterra (meaning the sea and the land) ready for the grand opening. The multi-billion euro Mareterra project includes five residential buildings (for a total of 130 apartments) and 10 villas. The district will also be home to twelve shops and restaurants, an extension of the Grimaldi Forum and 160 parking spaces.
Open to the public
After the inauguration, the public will be able to enjoy the fully pedestrianized district. Public spaces include a green hill, home to 1,000 trees and the Prince Jacques Promenade, which extends 600 metres in length. The promenade follows a harmonious curve extending from the Piazetta (‘little square’) up to the redeveloped Larvotto site and features a discovery trail and two special spaces: the Grotte Bleue and the Espace Méditation. The Grotte Bleue offers a view inside a caisson’s “Jarlan chamber”. The Espace Méditation, measuring 25 m2, is a place of relaxation, rest and reflection and is located near the middle of the Promenade under one of the district’s gardens.
How it all unfolded…
The Prince’s Government launched a call for applications in May 2013 for the construction of a new district and SAM L’Anse du Portier with Bouygues Travaux Publics MC submitted the winning bid. The construction program consisted of unprecedented technical, environmental and human complexity based on the skills of more than one hundred companies and the mobilization of about 2,000 workers.
In 2018, the district started to blossom when the floating concrete blocks, or “caissons” were laid, first on the Fairmont side and then on the Larvotto side. The caisson belt was closed in September 2019 when the last caisson was placed near the Grimaldi Forum. In the spring of 2021, the first floors of Le Renzo, Mareterra’s largest building, appeared. Next, the entire district was divided according to the size and complexity of the structures being built. Work then moved forward quickly and buildings began blossoming at an expeditious rate.
Not the first time Monaco reclaims land from the sea
For more than 150 years, Monaco has adapted its urban planning to meet its demographic growth within the constraints of a two kilometre squared territory. From the 1950s onwards, 20% of the Principality’s surface area has been reclaimed from the sea. Namely, the Larvotto reclamation project, which took place between 1954 and 1961 and reclaimed 54,000 m2 of surface area and Fontvielle, which reclaimed 220,000 m2 and was created between 1965 and 1971.
TIMELINE
2013: Mareterra land extension project is announced.
July 2015: Treaty authorizing the sea land extension is signed.
August 2016: Preparation phase begins with actions taken to protect local plant and animal species.
April 2017: Undersea work begins with the dredging of polluted sediment.
First quarter 2018: Embankment placement begins.
July 2018: First caisson is installed and inaugurated by HSH Prince Albert II.
December 2019: Completion of the maritime structure.
June 2020: Construction of the new eco-district begins.
December 2020: Le Renzo begins to take shape.
December 2021: Work is in full swing across all areas of the site.
July 2022: Concrete works for Le Renzo’s southern section is complete.
December 2022: First greenery is planted on the eco-district.
July 2023: The final appearance of the district is unveiled.
December 2023: First trees are planted on the district’s hill.
July 2024: Operation nears completion.
4 December 2024: Scheduled inauguration of Mareterra by Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene.
