Hello Monaco #09 Spring–Summer 2020 | Page 103

MONACO NEIGHBOURHOOD
The Principality of Seborga reigns from
its elevated position on the hill-top.
KNIGHTS TEMPLAR
AND PRINCES
© depositphotos.com
It is a fascinating fact that Seborga
is not mentioned in any formal documents
when the Kingdom of Italy was
united in 1861. Seborga is a constitutional lawyer’s
dream that was lying latent until in 1963
a local, Giorgio Carbone, a florist passionate
about the history of his village, made the formal
step to translate the dream into self-proclaimed
reality. «His Serene Highness» became
elected Prince. The Prince was known locally as
Sua Tremendità (His Tremendousness). The national
anthem of Seborga, with the apt title
«La Speranza» (The Hope), was composed by
Carbone himself and set to music by Maestro
Luigi Poggi of Bordighera in 1994. In 1995
Sebor gians voted for the official Constitution.
Exclusion from maps and listings in Italy’s own
constitutional documents might be considered
an error of oversight, but Seborga‘s claim
to be a Principality rests on the argument that
Vatican archives show that the Counts of Ventimiglia
donated Seborga to the Benedictine
monks in 954. Then in 1079 the Principality
was formally created with a Prince of the Holy
Roman Empire, the Abbott, seated there as its
Prince. Seborga was also an important centre
in the next century for the Knights Templar.
Contested is a subsequent sale of Seborga to
the Savoy dynasty on the grounds that it was
not formally registered. Helpful to the case is
the fact that the Congress of Vienna in 1815
overlooked Seborga in its redistribution of European
territories after the Napoleonic wars.
A MEDIEVAL RURAL
ITALIAN VILLAGE WITH
POMP AND CEREMONY
Thus, Monaco has on its doorstep a pretty
and tiny country village with all the
self-proclaimed trappings of a Principality,
even if it is mainly Seborgans themselves
that buy into the legal formalities as opposed
to universal acceptance accorded to the legitimate
rich history. The bubble of this would-be
fairy story bursts when we reveal the residents
The self-proclaimed Principality of Seborga has
its own state symbols including the white and
turquoise striped flag...
of Seborga pay regular taxes to Italy and they
vote for a «normal» mayor every 5 years. There
being no financial miracle or verifiable continual
robust history of real independence, Seborga
is a unique curiosity with definite tourist
appeal. Pomp and circumstance aside, Seborga
is a pretty Italian village full of history with the
«Orange Flag» seal of excellence awarded by
the Italian Touring Club.
If you dream of olive groves and beautiful
countryside and amazing views as you drive
along country roads not too far from Monaco,
put it on your list for «la piccolo Dolce Vita»
exploring a typical Italian medieval hillside
village for a few hours.
A TREASURE TROVE OF
HISTORY AND PRINCELY
TRAPPINGS
For lovers of history and architecture
the centre of Seborga is characterized
by narrow alleys that feed around the
medieval nucleus including ancient gates
that protected the village, Porta San Martino,
Porta di San Sebastiano and Porta del Sole.
In the centre stands the seventeenth century
Baroque parish church of San Martino,
with seventeenth-century paintings inside,
including one depicting San Martino with
San Bernardo and statues of San Martino and
San Sebastiano.
Close to the church of San Martino stands the
Palazzo dei Monaci, where lies the ancient
Seborghina mint. From 1666 to 1687 the local
currency luigini were minted there. The
palace, once a refuge for monks from the abbey
of Lerino, nowadays is a private home. On
the facade of the Palace proudly reigns the
characteristic coat of arms of Seborga granted
by the King of Sardinia around 1760.
At the entrance to the centre stands a small
fourteenth-century stone church dedicated to
San Bernardo di Chiaravalle. This is where
the Prince of Seborga and the Council of
the Crown swear-in at the beginning
of their mandate and every August
20 when the solemn feast of the
Principality takes place.
In the town hall, not to be
missed, there is also a Museum
of musical instruments, which
contains almost 200 instruments
from a private collection. These
...and the coat of arms from the period
of Savoyards reign.
© www.facebook.com/PrincSeborga
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