Ministry of State of Monaco
Monaco
The Ministry of State of Monaco was designed by the architect M. Copello and was built on the site of the gardens of the leisure house that Princess Marie de Lorraine, wife of Prince Antoine I, had built in 1718. This historical place, called "The Desert" because the Princess liked to retire there, began its construction in 1892 and was officially inaugurated on 19 June 1894. The Ministry of State is not only a residence but also the official office of the Minister of State, his collaborators and the General Secretariat. In its gardens, the Ministry of State is home to "The Fountain of Birds", a poetic statue by the Belgian artist and sculptor Jean-Michel Folon. In order to protect this important part of the Principality of Monaco's historical heritage, and state institution, BioBelt surrounded the gardens and the historical building with a system of 16 Modules for a protected area of 600 m2.