Prince Albert II of Monaco embarked on a whirlwind tour of Piedmont this week to welcome the newest members of the Grimaldi Historic Sites network into the fold.
On a two-day trip from 26th to 27th June, Prince Albert II visited four towns in the Piedmont region that all with historic links to the Grimaldi family.
Day One: Pianezza and Livorno Ferraris
The first day began with a tour of Pianezza, located near Turin. Prince Albert got straight to business, unveiling a sign indicating membership at the town’s entrance before meeting with local authorities at the town hall.
There he was shown a plaque commemorating his visit and was also made an honorary citizen of Pianezza. This was followed by trips to the Pieve di San Pietro monastery, which dates from the 11th century, and the Villa Lascaris, a spiritual and cultural site erected on the footprint of a castle built circa-1000CE by the bishops of Turin.
Prince Albert and his retinue then made the move to Livorno Ferraris, a town in the province of Vercelli in Piedmont, where he also unveiled a sign welcoming the town to the Grimaldi Historic Sites of Monaco network.
An official ceremony was then held in the town’s central square to offer him honorary citizenship, with many locals present to cheer him on. This was followed by visits to the Museo Ferraris and the municipality’s archaeological museum.
Both Pianezza and Livorno Ferraris are the former possessions of the Marquis of Pianezza and Livorno Charles-Emmanuel Philibert de Simiane, who allied himself to the Monegasque Princely family through his marriage in 1659 to Jeanne-Marie Grimaldi, a granddaughter of Prince Honoré II of Monaco and the sister of Prince Louis I.
That evening, Prince Albert headed to the Palazzo Tursi in Genoa in the company of the city’s mayor, Marco Bucci. During an official ceremony, he received the Paganini Prize as Ambassador of this famous violin competition. The Premium Paganini, created in 1954, is one of the most prestigious violin competitions in the world.
A gala dinner for the benefit of the Prince Albert II Foundation was held later that night.
Day Two: Rocca Grimalda and Carrosio
The day began with a visit to Rocca Grimalda, a small town in the province of Alessandria in Piedmont. Purchased in the 16th century by a branch of the Grimaldi family from Genoa, the town, as well as the castle, remained in Grimaldi possession for some 250 years.
Prince Albert unveiled the Grimaldi Historic Sites sign here in the company of Mayor Enzo Cacciola, before inaugurating a commemorative plaque in honour of his visit and receiving honorary citizenship of Rocca Grimalda.
On foot, the Prince then went to the church of Santa Limbania and the castle, which dates from the 12th century.
The afternoon saw Prince Albert in the former Grimaldi stronghold of Carrosio, which was the family’s property between the 13th to 15th centuries. It was an important strategic place because it is located on the main road linking Genoa to Gavi and Novi.
Upon his arrival, the Sovereign was welcomed by the mayor, Valerio Cassano, and unveiled a sign marking Carrosio’s membership to the Grimaldi Historic Sites at the entrance to the village.
The retinue then took to the streets of the town for a tour that culminated in front of the church, where the Prince was given honorary citizenship.
The day ended with a visit of the ruins of the castle.
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Photo credits: Axel Bastello / Palais Princier de Monaco