Monaco: Prince Albert II and Princess Charlène open new section of Miniatur Wunderland

TECHNICAL WONDERS: MINIATUR WUNDERLAND OPENS MONACO AND A SPECTACULAR FORMULA 1 TRACK

After eleven years of work, over 150,000 working hours and more than 5,000,000 euros in construction costs, the new Monaco section of Miniatur Wunderland was opened on April 25, 2024 in the presence of Prince Albert II, Princess Charlène, Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella. The 70-square-meter installation, including the Provence landscape, adds a spectacular attraction to Wunderland. The absolute highlight is the Formula 1 track, a version of which has been in the works for eleven years. As in the large original, the Formula E race in Monte Carlo is also held on a scale of 1:87.

“Gerrit and I probably visited Monaco ten times during our childhood. It was always a highlight of our annual trip to France for us to go to Monaco and watch the hustle and bustle at the marina in the evening. It was great fun for us to keep a tally with our father and get all the French cars and sports cars together on vacation. And Monaco was always a particularly great opportunity.”, says Frederik Braun.

In Monaco-Ville, the old town of the dwarf state, there is still little sign of the hustle and bustle of the Formula 1 race. The buildings are lined up close together, from the famous Ozeaneum to St. Nicholas Cathedral and the Prince’s Palace. Scenes designed with great attention to detail show everyday life along the Mediterranean coast.
A few streets further on, the view opens up onto the harbor with 175 luxurious yachts, with more large superyachts anchored off the city.

The princely palace of Monaco in Miniatur Wunderland

“Everyone knows the panorama of Monaco from the sea,” says Frederik Braun. “Monaco is mytos. I grew up in the days of Grace Kelly, Rainier and death-defying racing drivers. That naturally shaped my childhood image. Monaco certainly caters to many clichés and the construction has taught us once again that the truth and the cliché are not always congruent. But sometimes they do.” Monaco certainly caters to many clichés and the construction has taught us once again that the truth and the cliché are not always congruent. But sometimes they do.”, tells Frederik Braun.

As a guest, you can watch the Grand Prix racing action from the water’s edge. From the start and finish straight, up to 14 racing cars race around tight bends, past the Café Paris, the city’s casino and through the Congress Center tunnel. Thousands of spectators on eight grandstands follow the action with excitement and a flurry of flashbulbs as soon as the racing cars race past them.

“I always thought it was impossible to drive Formula 1 cars in Wunderland in a realistic race in continuous operation, and that’s exactly what made the idea so appealing. We tried it out for several years and didn’t know whether it would ever be successful. It really is a miracle that it actually works today,” reports Gerrit Braun.
“When we realized this could work, we would have expected 3-4 years.
Looking back on 11 years of development, I’m amazed that we haven’t already given up. But today, pure joy prevails.”

Formula 1 race in Miniatur Wunderland — The Formula 1 race is one of the outstanding attractions in Monaco and could not be missed in Wunderland.

The underlying principle of Formula 1 technology is based on so-called Halbach arrays. 24 track boards, 90 control boards and 90 locating boards are the heart of the hardware – a 22 meter long race track. In fractions of a millisecond, electronically generated, punctual magnetic fields move on it, allowing the racing cars to be controlled individually. Over 100,000 lines of programming code were required to develop the software – also to guarantee that the race would always run differently. Around 39,000 meters of cable are concealed beneath the system. They not only connect 5,700 Hall sensors and 2,800 temperature sensors, but also a live camera system at the side of the road.
29 millimeter-sized cameras have been integrated along the track and transmit spectacular live images from a familiar TV perspective to several miniature screens on the spectator grandstands – as well as for the larger visitors at the edge of the track.

“Showcasing Formula E in Monaco was clear early on. All the drivers have the same technical requirements here, and good tactics from the drivers often decide the race. That makes it incredibly exciting,” said Gerrit Braun.

In contrast to the glamorous principality, including various parties on the city’s rooftop terraces and the rich engine noise surrounding the Formula 1 race, is the subsequent model section of Provence. Time seems to have stood still in this rugged yet lovely landscape, evoking nostalgic memories. The lavender fields around Senanque Abbey are a real eye-catcher. Typical local vegetation makes the viewer feel the scorching heat. Just a little further on, the crystal-clear blue water at the foot of the Verdon Gorge provides a visual cool-down.

Prince Albert II and Charlène of Monaco and their twins Jacques and Gabriella traveled from the Principality to the opening of the new section and were the first people to take a look at the small world of the Principality in 1:87 scale. At the push of a button, they started the first Formula 1 race in Wunderland with their children. At the push of a button, they started the first Formula 1 race in Wunderland together with their children.

When asked about his favorite motif, Prince Albert II summarizes: “It’s hard to pick out anything, everything is so incredibly well done. Some of the details of the yacht club and the harbor and the Malizia sailboat, but also around the Formula 1 track. It’s all so detailed and done with such incredible precision.”

Monaco and Provence will be followed by the rainforest with the Amazon and Andes at the turn of the year 2025/2026 and the Caribbean in 2027. Subsequently, parts of Asia are planned. These will be located above South America on the 4th floor of the neighboring building, which will open in 2021. Until then, the floor will be used for special exhibitions and will offer a spectacular view of the South American sections under construction thanks to a huge opening in the ceiling.