La The Republic of San Marino, “Old land of freedom”, extends at the border between Marche and Emilia Romagna.

City of San Marino stands out against the calcareous- arenaceous peak of Mount Titano, 749 m above sea level.

Capital of the state, its oldest nucleus, seat of government institutions, and one of the main tourist destinations of the hinterland of Romagna, it has recently been included in UNESCO World Heritage List.

The three “penne” (feathers), the medieval towers symbol of San Marino, fascinate already from afar.

The millenarian history of the Republic is equally fascinating.

In the legend of its origin there is already all the spirit of independence that has always characterized its people.
“I leave you free from the one and from the other man”, would have said the founder Marino to his followers, free from the Emperor and from the Pope.

The official date of the foundation is September 3, 301 when, according to the hagiographies, the Dalmatian stone cutter Marino gave life to his small community of Christians on Mount Titano.

A legend would their territory being donated by a rich woman  of Rimini, Felicissima, afterwards the rescue of her son, Verissimo, miraculously saved by Marino.

The independence of the community was claimed in Placito Feretrano, a copy of a treaty of the year 885, which had freed the village by the feudal bond of the Church of Rimini and Montefeltro.

The sovereignty of the state, threatened several times but deftly defended with the weapons of diplomacy, was ratified in a definitive way after the Unification of Italy with a treaty of friendship of the year 1862, in recognition of the aid given to Garibaldi and his men in a moment of extreme emergency.

During the Second World War San Marino reaffirmed its vocation to neutrality, but it was mistakenly bombed by the English in 1944.
Meanwhile it had offered shelter to 100,000 refugees.

After the war the phenomenon of emigration affected in an incisive way also San Marino.

Since the ’70s, with the intensification of foreign relations, in San Marino winds of prosperity and wealth are blowing.

The territory of the Republic is divided into 9 “Castelli” (districts).
A cableway from Borgomaggiore rises to the historical centre.

Of city of San Marino, enclosed in three boundary walls, you cannot miss: in Freedom Square the Palazzo Pubblico, the changing of the guard, the magnificent panoramic terrace; the “Prima Torre”, or “Rocca”, or “Guaita”, the biggest and oldest of  the three “penne”; the “Seconda Torre, or “Castello della Cesta”, on the highest peak of Titano, houses the Museum of Ancient Arms; just outside the “Montale”, the “Terza Torre”, with the beautiful view; the “contrada” Ombrelli; Titano Square; Titano Theater.

Places of worship: Basilica of San Marino (keeps the urn with the relics of the Holy), Church of San Pietro (with the thaumaturgic couches of San Marino and San Leo), San Quirino Church, Church and Convent of San Francesco (the oldest of the Republic), Ancient Convent of Santa Chiara.

Seat of pilgrimages: the Sacellum of the Holy, the first shelter of San Marino, at the Baldasserona.

Museums: of State, of Sacred Art - Art Gallery of San Francesco, Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art, of the emigrant, of Natural History, Reptilarium - AquariumReptilarium , Maranello Rosso Museum (with Ferrari Car Test to book), of Modern Weapons, waxworks, of Sights, of Torture, Leonardo da Vinci (”machines” by Leonardesque codes), of Sport (open on demand for groups).

For people who love nature: the “Costa dell’Arnella”, a walk on cobbled paving road from Borgo Maggiore to San Marino between the “contradas” and in the green (closed for work until 31/07/2008); the arboretum of Cà Vagnetto, with paths among the 125 tree species; excursions in the Natural Park of Marano; marked paths to be chosen among the existent 77.

For sportsmen: jogging in joy with the broadcasting of the Park “Passo del Sorbo – Ventoso”; cycle tracks; sport fishing at the lake Faetano; tennis and golf at the Nature Reserve of Montecchio; skateboard ramp at the Park Ausa; motocross track at the Baldasserona.

For adults and children: San Marino Adventures, an Adventure Park among the biggest in Italy, and the Park of Forgotten Stories.

For gourmets: renowned taverns and inns have the typical traditional cuisine, genuine and simple.
Excellent wines can accompany “cappelletti”, “strozzapreti”, “ravioli”, “tagliatelle”, or barbecue meat with the “piadina”, and finally ancient desserts like “caciatello” or “bustrengo”.

Events: April 1 and October 1 the traditional ceremonies of investiture of the Regent Captains.
In July the Medieval Days, San Marino Etnofestival and the Celebration of Beer.
On 3 September the Feast of San Marino.

Curios: San Marino is a parliamentary republic of records.
It is the oldest in the world, the least populated among the states of Europe (nearly 30,000 residents) and has two Heads of State who remain in office for only six months.
It is not the smallest nation: extended over an area of about 60 square km, it is passed in Europe by Monaco and Vatican City.
San Marino is not part of the European Union, but the currency in force is the euro.
The National Anthem of San Marino, composed by the violinist Federico Consolo in 1894, has no words.
The text of Giosuè Carducci was never adopted.

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