Seborga
Seborga is a municipality with 327 inhabitants (as at 31 December 2012) in the Province of Imperia in the Italian region of Liguria. It belongs to the administrative community ( mountain community ) Comunità Montana Intemelia. A certain notoriety gained the community through the proclamation of the Principality of Seborga in 1993.
Geography
Seborga is located at about 500 m altitude in the hinterland of the Riviera, between the coastal towns Ospedaletti and Bordighera, about 45 km west of the provincial capital of Imperia. The provincial road No. 57 connects with Seborga Bordighera and the departure of the same name of the A10 motorway. Neighboring municipalities are Ospedaletti, Perinaldo, Sanremo and Vallebona.
History
From the 8th century, the area around Seborga belonged to the county of Ventimiglia. The place was mentioned as Castrum de Sepulchro the first time in 954 in a document. This involved the transfer of the town on the part of Count Guido Guerra di Ventimiglia to the Benedictine monks of Lerins (France). The monks taught 1666 coin ( zecca ) and embossed silver coins on the French model ( or Luigi Luigini ). The imprint was, however, reinstated in 1687, as the coins were no use and dissemination in Savoy ( 1667) and Piedmont ( 1669) was even banned. 1729, the fief was Seborga by the Benedictines at the House of Savoy under Victor Amadeus II sold, the present form of the name Seborga appears in the deed of sale for the first time. Together with the area of the modern province of Imperia Seborga was thus part of the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia from 1860 and part of the Italian State. On 9 September 1944 several buildings of Seborga in fighting between the Wehrmacht and the Italian partisans were severely damaged.
Economy
The community Seborga lives mainly from agriculture ( olives, flowers, especially yellow mimosa and broom ) and tourism.
Principality of Seborga
A group at the floristry business Giorgio Carbone tried to prove by means of historical documents from the 1960s that Seborga was placed under a state power neither the Congress of Vienna, nor in the founding of the Italian Republic in 1946 and, therefore, international law does not belong to the Italian State. Seborga have therefore retained the medieval status of a principality ( principato ) until today. Carbone settled in Giorgio I, Principe di Seborga ( George I, Prince of Seborga ), † November 2009 to rename. In 1993, he exclaimed the Principality of Seborga and appointed a government. Italy has never taken the declaration of independence seriously and not taken any legal action against it. The Italian law is valid in the municipality in total volume. Seborga is viewed by others, also internationally unrecognized micro nations as sovereign.
The small community benefited, however, from the touristic reputation, which she received through the media reports on independence. Between 1994 and 1996, in Seborga, a copy of the old currency, the Luigino, embossed, which is accepted as a substitute currency transactions within Seborga, but this is not legal tender. In addition, other souvenir items of the Principality as a non-official stamps, car registration and fantasy identification documents are issued.
Since 2011, elected for seven years new " first man in the state " Marcello Menegatto means. He had to due to the aging of the village close to kindergarten. The local primary school is at risk. He plans a five -star hotel and build a golf course.
Culture and sights
The place is a medieval town on an approximately triangular floor plan. Remains of the city wall with four access gates are obtained.
At the central square of the town is the parish church, dedicated to St. Martin ( Chiesa di San Martino parrocchiale ), which was built between the 16th and 17th centuries. The Baroque façade with wall paintings from 1928 was restored in 2006. In addition, the Palazzo dei monaci, a building that was acquired in 1607 by the Benedictine monks as a residence for stays in Seborga is located. It is now privately owned. Notes on the coinage are preserved in the lower part of the building. A small oratory, the Oratorio di San Bernardo from the 13th century, located at the entrance.
Regular events
- Festa di San Sebastiano - Hard on January 20
- Festa di Primavera - hard to Easter
- Festa di San Bernardo - Festival on August 20 with folkloric parade
- Festa di San Martino - Feast of the local patron saint on November 11th with a procession
Twinning
- L' Escarène (France), since 2003
Pictures
Alley in Seborga
Exchange of Luigino