St. Charles Church, Monte-Carlo

Saint-Charles is a landmark church in Monte Carlo. It was built from 1879 to 1883, under the reign of Prince Charles, and was designed by architect Charles Lenormand in a French, neo-Renaissance style. The church honors Saint Charles Borromeo, who was the patron saint of the Prince.

It stands on the site previously occupied by the chapel of Saint-Laurent, on the land once owned by the affluent Blanc family. Initially a chapel, the Saint-Charles was made a parish church in 1887.

Relatively small in size, the building is distinct for its bell tower, rising to 108 feet above sea level and topped by a cupola. Somewhat simple on the outside, the interior is grand with 19 masterly crafted stained glass windows and 17th century carvings, brought over from the church of Saint-Nicolas in Monaco Town, prior to its being replaced by Monaco Cathedral. Other highlights include 17th century gilded wooden altar, adorned with cabled columns, statues of saints and sculpted images of Christ; and the Virgin Mary altar, highly praised for its artistic value at the Vienna Exhibition.

The church has a strong musical tradition and hosted many choir recordings over the years. It has an organ, produced by M.Merklin, dating back to 1884.