Statue of Francesco Grimaldi

The statue of Francesco Grimaldi, founder of the dynasty

The Monaco audio-guided tour has you discover the bronze statue of Francesco Grimaldi, the first chapter of the family saga that, for more than seven hundred years, has embodied the history and the face of Monaco. Nicknamed La Malizia, the Cunning, this character did indeed exist.

The cunning that founded Monaco

At the beginning of the thirteenth century, Genoa, in Italy, saw two factions clash: the Guelphs and the Ghibellines. The Grimaldis belonged to the Guelph camp. Legend has it that Francesco Grimaldi, disguised as a monk, managed to enter the fortress of the Rock and seize it by cunning, on 8 January 1297. This masterstroke, which earned him his nickname Malizia, marked the beginning of the long presence of the Grimaldis in Monaco.

What there is to see

The statue depicts Francesco Grimaldi as a monk, the sword hidden under his robe, evoking the famous cunning that opened the doors of the fortress to him. This monument recalls the origin of the dynasty that still reigns over the Principality. It is an essential stop to understand the history of Monaco and the founding role of this ancestor, in the heart of the Rock.

Practical information

The statue of Francesco Grimaldi is on the Rock, in Monaco, near the princely palace. It can be contemplated freely at all hours and on the level, along the walk in old Monaco.

Who was Francesco Grimaldi?

The founder of the Grimaldi dynasty, nicknamed La Malizia, who seized the fortress of the Rock by cunning in 1297.

Why the nickname La Malizia?

Because he seized the Rock by cunning, disguised as a monk; Malizia means cunning in Italian.