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{{Short description|Village in Liguria, Italy}}
{{About|the town in Italy|the micronation|Principality of Seborga}}
{{Infobox Italian comune
| name                = Seborga
| official_name       = Comune di Seborga
| native_name         = ''A Seborca/A Seburca''
| image_skyline       = Seborga-panorama.jpg
| image_caption       = Seborga
|image_flag=Seborga-Gonfalone.svg| image_shield        =Seborga-Stemma.svg 
| shield_alt          = 
| image_map           = 
| map_alt             = 
| map_caption         = 
| pushpin_label_position = 
| pushpin_map_alt     = 
| coordinates         = {{coord|43|49|34|N|7|41|40|E|region:IT|display=inline,title}}
| coordinates_footnotes = 
| region              = {{RegioneIT|sigla=LIG}}
| province            = {{ProvinciaIT (short form)|sigla=IM}} (IM)
| mayor_party         = 
| mayor               = Enrico Ilariuzzi
| area_footnotes      = 
| area_total_km2      = 4.91
| population_footnotes = <ref name="istat">All demographics and other statistics from the Italian statistical institute ([[National Institute of Statistics (Italy)|Istat]])</ref>
| population_total    = 315
| population_as_of    = 31 December 2015
| pop_density_footnotes = 
| population_demonym  = Seborghini
| elevation_footnotes = 
| elevation_min_m     =
| elevation_max_m     =
| elevation_m         = 500
| saint               = [[Bernard of Clairvaux|San Bernardo]]
| day                 = 20 August 
| postal_code         = 18012
| area_code           = 0184
| website             = {{official website|http://www.comuneseborga.it}}
| footnotes           =
| istat               = 008057
}}

'''Seborga''' ({{langx|lij|A Seborca/A Seburca}})<ref>{{cite book|title=Dizionario Genovese-Italiano e Italiano-Genovese|place=Genova|last=Frisoni|first=Gaetano|author-link=:it:Gaetano Frisoni|year=1910|publisher=Nuova Editrice Genovese|language=it}}</ref> is a small [[town|village]] and self-proclaimed principality in the region of [[Liguria]] near the [[France|French]] border. Administratively, it is a ''[[comune]]'' of the Italian [[province of Imperia]]. The main economic activities are horticulture and tourism. It is known for being the 'territory' of the self-proclaimed [[micronation]] the [[Principality of Seborga]]. It is one of [[I Borghi più belli d'Italia]] ("The most beautiful villages of Italy").<ref>{{cite web|url=https://borghipiubelliditalia.it/liguria/|title=Liguria|access-date=31 July 2023|language=it}}</ref>

==Economy==
Seborga is known in the region for its agricultural activity: in particular, cultivation and collection of [[olive]]s and [[floriculture]] crops. Thanks to Seborga's publicity as a principality, tourism has expanded in recent years. The principality's historic town centre was also restored, ensuring that its charms were protected from commercial overdevelopment.

==Culture==
An important cultural event in Seborga is the annual festival of [[Bernard of Clairvaux|Saint Bernard]], the town's patron saint, held on 20 August. The festival includes a procession of citizens and the carrying of a statue of [[Bernard of Clairvaux|Saint Bernard]].<ref>{{Citation|last=Principato di Seborga|title=Festa di San Bernardo 2016 - 20/08/16|date=2016-08-22|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSkgC3q4dcs |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211215/eSkgC3q4dcs |archive-date=2021-12-15 |url-status=live|accessdate=2016-10-12}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

Seborga's [[Town twinning|twin city]] is [[L'Escarène]], [[France]].

==Transport==
Seborga is situated along Provincial Road 57 in Imperia. The nearest motorway access is at the [[Bordighera]] exit on the A10. The nearest railway station is also the one in [[Bordighera]], on the Ventimiglia-Genoa line.

==Principality of Seborga==
{{Main|Principality of Seborga}}
[[File:Seborga frontier.jpg|thumb|left|Sentry boxes on the road into Seborga assert the existence of a "border" with Italy]]
In 1964, [[Giorgio Carbone]], then head of the local [[Floriculture|flower growers]]' [[co-operative]], began promoting the idea that Seborga and its surrounding territory should become independent from Italy. Carbone claimed that Seborga had existed as a [[List of historic states of Italy|sovereign state of Italy]] since 954, and that from 1079 it was a principality of the [[Holy Roman Empire]]. According to Carbone's claims, Seborga was not included in the 1861 [[Italian unification]], and that it should be recognised as a sovereign [[principality]].<ref name="Telegraph" /><ref name="Klieger">{{cite book |last1=Klieger |first1=P. Christiaan |title=The Microstates of Europe: Designer Nations in a Post-Modern World |date=29 November 2012 |publisher=Lexington Books |isbn=978-0-7391-7427-2 |page=177 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CrfwGa4aCwYC&pg=PA177 |access-date=17 January 2021 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="telegraph-battle">{{cite news |last1=Moore |first1=Malcolm |author1-link= |title=Battle rages for His Tremendousness's throne {{!}} Italy {{!}} Europe {{!}} International News {{!}} News {{!}} Telegraph |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/06/13/wsebo13.xml |access-date=17 January 2021 |work=The Telegraph |date=13 June 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070311031813/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/06/13/wsebo13.xml |archive-date=11 March 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 1963 the people of Seborga held an informal vote and elected Carbone as their ostensible head of state. He then assumed the [[False titles of nobility|self-styled title]] ''His Tremendousness (Sua Tremendità)'' Giorgio I, Prince of Seborga.<ref name="italymag">{{cite web |title=Prince of Seborga fights on for 362 subjects {{!}} Liguria {{!}} ITALY Magazine |url=http://www.italymag.co.uk/italy/liguria/prince-seborga-fights-362-subjects/ |website=The Telegraph  |access-date=17 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101119012259/http://www.italymag.co.uk/italy/liguria/prince-seborga-fights-362-subjects/ |archive-date=19 November 2010 |date=15 June 2006}}</ref><ref name="Telegraph">{{cite news |title=Obituary: His Tremendousness Giorgio Carbone |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/royalty-obituaries/6671765/His-Tremendousness-Giorgio-Carbone.html |access-date=17 January 2021 |work=The Telegraph |date=27 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091201012903/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/royalty-obituaries/6671765/His-Tremendousness-Giorgio-Carbone.html |archive-date=1 December 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref> Carbone remained in office until his death in 2009.<ref name="nyt-obit">{{cite news |last1=Martin |first1=Douglas |title=Giorgio Carbone, Elected Prince of Seborga, Dies at 73 (Published 2009) |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/13/world/europe/13carbone.html |access-date=3 February 2021 |work=The New York Times |date=12 December 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109040316/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/13/world/europe/13carbone.html|archive-date=9 November 2020|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Telegraph" /> A successor, Marcello Menegatto, was elected in 2010.<ref name="telegraph-tremendousness">{{cite news|last=Squires|first=Nick |title=Tiny Italian principality announces new monarch called 'His Tremendousness' |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/7639617/Tiny-Italian-principality-announces-new-monarch-called-His-Tremendousness.html|access-date=18 June 2010|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|date=27 April 2010}}</ref><ref name="metro">{{cite news|title=The King of Nylon: 'kingdom' of Seborga ruled by hosiery heir|url=http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/823736-the-king-of-nylon-kingdom-of-seborga-ruled-by-hosiery-heir|access-date=18 June 2010|newspaper=The Metro|date=28 April 2010|location=London}}</ref> Menegatto resigned in 2019 from his position, and he was succeeded by his ex-wife, Nina Menegatto, who has styled herself ''Her Serene Highness'' Princess Nina.<ref name="telegraph-nina">{{cite news|last=Vogt|first=Andrea |title='Her Tremendousness' elected leader of self-declared micro-nation on hilltop in Italy |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/11/10/tremendousness-elected-leader-self-declared-micro-nation-hilltop/|access-date=11 November 2019|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|date=10 November 2019}}</ref>

Supporters of the independence claim promote the Principality with the trappings of a state, including the creation of a flag, the minting of coins, the formation of a "border guard" and the installation of [[sentry box]]es on the unofficial border crossing on the main road into Seborga.<ref name="telegraph-tremendousness"/><ref name="washingtonpost">{{cite news |last1=Mikelbank |first1=Peter |title=BORDERLINE INSANITY? |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1997/02/09/borderline-insanity/10a2d287-7614-4914-aa30-01533395037a/ |newspaper=Washington Post |access-date=3 February 2021 |date=9 February 1997}}</ref><ref name="guardie">{{cite web |title=Le Guardie |url=https://www.principatodiseborga.com/pds/guardie |website=Principato di Seborga |access-date=17 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210109093713/https://www.principatodiseborga.com/pds/guardie|archive-date=9 January 2021 |language=it-IT}}</ref> An official ''Principato di Seborga'' website asserts the historical arguments put forward by Carbone.<ref name="storia">{{cite web |title=Storia |url=https://www.principatodiseborga.com/pds/storia |website=Principato di Seborga |publisher=Governo del Principato di Seborga |access-date=17 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210109025734/https://www.principatodiseborga.com/pds/storia |archive-date=9 January 2021 |language=it-IT}}</ref> The independence claims of a "Principality of Seborga" have not been [[Diplomatic recognition|recognised]] internationally, and Seborga remains officially part of Italy.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons and category}}
*{{in lang|it}} [http://www.comuneseborga.it Seborga official website]
* [https://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/13/world/europe/13carbone.html?_r=2 Giorgio Carbone, Elected Prince of Seborga, Dies at 73]

{{Province of Imperia}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Seborga| ]]
[[Category:Cities and towns in Liguria]]
[[Category:Borghi più belli d'Italia]]