Photo of the Day 123

Monte Carlo Casino and Mercedes, Monaco, 1995

Photograph by Jodi Cobb

The shiny finish of a black Mercedes car reflects Monaco's famous Monte Carlo Casino. A tiny Mediterranean principality with an outsize reputation, Monaco draws millions of tourists every year to its luxury amenities, including beachfront hotels, a yacht harbor, the Opera House, and casinos. Not surprisingly tourism and gambling are at the core of Monaco's economy.

(Text adapted from and photo shot on assignment for, but not published in, "Monaco," May 1996, National Geographic magazine)

Photo of the Day 64

Monaco Cathedral, Monaco, 1996

Photograph by Jodi Cobb

Built in 1875 from white stone from La Turbie, a French alpine village, the neo-Romanesque Monaco Cathedral houses the tombs of former princes and Princess Grace. Monaco occupies a rocky strip of land on France's Mediterranean coast, but its size belies its reputation as one of the world's most upscale resort destinations known for glitz, glamour, and the good life.

(Photo shot on assignment for, but not published in, "Monaco," May 1996, National Geographic magazine)