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A summer of events in Seborga
August 3
A summer of events in Seborga: festivals and dance evenings in the Principality of Seborga.
The location: Seborga
An ancient village with an unusual history: a Principality. Yes, you read that correctly.
Perhaps not everyone knows that the Flower Riviera has a Princess. The sovereign “rules” the Principality of Seborga, a small inland town.
Let’s take a step back. At the end of the 10th century the abbot of the Benedictine monastery of Lerino purchased the fiefdom of Seborga from the Count of Ventimiglia, which became a Principality of the Holy Roman Empire. Seborga remained a sovereign state until it was purchased by Victor Amadeus the Second in 1729. It seems however that this purchase was never registered: Seborga would therefore still be an independent Principality. Although de fact Italian jurisdiction is applied, the village continues to elect its own ruler and to mint its own currency, the luigino, which was once actually used. Today, luigini can be purchased at the Government Palace, along with stamps. Don’t forget to take one as a souvenir! Alternatively, luigini can also be used as expendable “vouchers” in the village, keeping the tradition alive.
In addition to the interesting facts about this village, discover its historic center: a tangle of alleys leading to the characteristic main square, with the 17th-century Parish Church of San Martino, the Baroque Church of San Bernardo, museums and the Palace of the Monks, the former seat of the Mint.