Seborga - Seborga

Seborga is a center of the Liguria.

To know

It is one of the most beautiful villages in Italy and has been awarded the orange flag by the Italian Touring Club; it is also said that the country has never been formally aggregated to Italy, and therefore Seborga would still be an independent microstate, the Principality of Seborga, in fact, which mintes its own currency and issues its own stamps; it has an elected Prince and a government with ministers and ministries.

Geographical notes

On the Ligurian hills of Riviera di Ponente, is 12 km from Bordighera, 20 from Ventimiglia, 25 from Sanremo, 37 from Principality of Monaco, 52 from Imperia.

Background

The name of Seborga has ancient origins; in the fifth century after Christ the site where the town stands was called Castrum Sepulcri, therefore from the seventh century Sepulchres Burgum, then It seeps and finally Seborga. It was an ancient fief of the Counts of Ventimiglia until in 959 it was given to the Benedictine monks of Lerino who were Princes of Seborga. It became a Principality of the Holy Roman Empire in 1079. During the existence of this Cistercian state, the Seborga Mint, which was active from 1660 to 1690; minted gold and silver coins (i Luigini) which were opposed thus causing the closure of the Mint.

The purchase of the fief by the Savoy family took place in 1729. From this act arose the dispute according to which Seborga would be an independent Principality, whose passage to the Kingdom of Italy and then to the Italian Republic would never have been sanctioned.

Curiosity: the independent Principality of Seborga

Starting from the fifties of the twentieth century, some members of the community of Seborga have claimed independence from the Italian Republic, by virtue of an alleged ancient status of Principality that the town would have enjoyed in ancient times, considering the annexation to the kingdom of Sardinia invalid .

The citizens of Seborga therefore also elect a prince with purely symbolic functions: the role was played from 14 May 1963 until 25 November 2009, the date of his death, by Giorgio Carbone (George I), and from 25 April 2010 by Marcello Menegatto (Marcello I). The prince is assisted by a council of 9 ministers, without legal power.

The principality mintes a coin, called Luigino (name inspired by that of the coins minted in the 17th century), without any legal value, but used as a voucher that can be spent in the city; this has aroused some interest in the world of numismatic collecting. The value given to the so-called luigino is set at 6 US dollars. The postage stamps minted from Ministate.

Seborga also has its own car plates which, however, cannot be used except on the sidelines of the Italian ones. They are then distributed to applicants passports is driving licenses bearing the effigy and stamps of the Principality which have only a folkloristic and tourist promotion function. According to many, the claimed independence of the principality is merely a publicity stunt to attract tourists and investors. The principality of Seborga is not recognized by Italy which has de jure and de facto the real jurisdiction over the territory.

How to orient yourself

How to get

By plane

• 44.41468.84471 Cristoforo Colombo Airport in Genoa. It is connected to the Genova Brignole railway station with the Volabus, a bus service calibrated for national and international arrivals.

Direct flights: Milan Malpensa, Turin, Cagliari, Naples, Palermo, Catania, Alghero, Olbia, Trapani, Trieste, Rome Fiumicino.

International flights: London Stansted, Paris CDG, Cologne, Munich, Brussels, Amsterdam, Barcelona, ​​Istanbul. 

• 43.686910.39512 Galileo Galilei Airport of Pisa. It is more convenient to get there Riviera di Levante, Spice or le Five lands as it is directly connected by train. 

By car

• Bordighera motorway exit on the A10 motorway Genoa - Ventimiglia.
• It is crossed by the provincial road 57 of Bordighera.

On the train

• Railway station of Bordighera.

How to get around

What see

• Church of San Martino. The building overlooks Piazza San Martino, the center of the town. Of seventeenth-century origin, the parish church has a Baroque facade restored in 2008. San Martino is depicted on the tympanum; always on the facade are represented the Archangel Michael and St. John the Baptist. The interior houses a wooden statue of the Madonna and Child, in a niche behind the main altar; of exquisite workmanship, it is in Burgundian style and dates back to the 15th century. In the churchyard there are two rows of round arches; one of them contains a stone fountain. 
• Palace of the Monks. The privately owned Palazzo is the former residence of the monks. The Mint was also based there. 

Events and parties

• Spring Festival. Easter period. Traditional festival combined with a painting exhibition and a competition of floral compositions. 
• Feast of San Sebastiano. 20 th January. 
• Feast of San Bernardo. August 20. On the occasion of the festival, a historical-folkloric procession takes place with the exhibition of flag-wavers. 

What to do

Shopping

• In the village they are produced in quantity broom seborghina and the mimosa of Gaulois species, in the open air crops that are found almost everywhere around.
• Extra virgin olive oil, obtained from Taggiasca olives, is another important production of Seborga, like its derivatives, such as dried tomatoes in oil.
• The black tomato it is a production that has recently been recovered and enjoys particular protection
• Stamps, coins, documents, in short, all the gadgets of the Principality of Seborga.

How to have fun

Where to eat

"Rabbit alla seborghina" is a local dish; the rabbit is enhanced by the aromas of the aromatic herbs of the hinterland; accompanied by chopped browned comiglio liver, olives and washed down with good local wines, it often appears on the village tables.

Average prices

• Osteria Del Coniglio restaurant, Via Giuseppe Verdi, 7, ☎ 39 0184 223820. 
• Trattoria San Bernardo, Piazza Martiri Patrioti, 2, ☎ 39 0184 223918. 
• Marcellino'S restaurant, Via Miranda, 2, ☎ 39 0184 223586. 
• Templar Monks Agritourism and Educational Farm, Strada Villa, 11A, ☎ 39 328 8667390. 

Where stay

Average prices

• Ancient Castle, Via Vicolo Chiuso 10/4,, ☎ 39 320 573 9555. 
• B&B L'Intrigante, Street of the Villa 14, ☎ 39 320 0488561. 

Safety

How to keep in touch

Post office

• Italian post, Via Zecca 2, ☎ 39 0184 223828. 

Around

• Bordighera - Important seaside resort, has the ancient center on a promontory.
• Sanremo — City of flowers and of the Festival, is an important center of the western Riviera.
• Principality of Monaco - The little Principality true it is a short distance from Seborga, on the Mediterranean coast.

Other projects

• Wikipedia contains an entry concerning Seborga
• Commons contains images or other files on Seborga

Usable : the article respects the characteristics of a draft but in addition it contains enough information to allow a short visit to the city. Use i correctly listing (the right type in the right sections).