The Prince of Monaco's Palace is the official residence of the Monaco monarch. The castle was built in 1191 as a fortress for Genoans and was shelled and surrounded by many foreign powers in a long and often dramatic history. Since the end of the 13th century, it has been the stronghold and residence of the Grimaldi family. Thus, the Palace reflects not only the history of Monaco, but also the history of the family that celebrated the 700th anniversary of Monaco in 1997. Ruled from the same palace. In the 21st century, the palace remains the residence of the current Prince of Monaco.