The dwarf state of San Marino is one of the smallest and at the same time one of the oldest in Europe: it has existed for more than 17 centuries, and all this time it has remained independent - it’s not for nothing that the word “Freedom” is inscribed on the flag of San Marino. The state was able to maintain its independence even during the Napoleonic wars. By the way, the first Constitution was adopted here - in 1600. Official name country - Most Serene Republic of San Marino.

General information

Where is San Marino located? Inside Italy: It is an enclave and borders the regions of Emilia-Romagna and Marche.

The state was founded by a stonemason (according to another version, a monk) Christian Marinus, who fled here from the Croatian island of Rab from persecution and created a community of Christian freemasons here. The official day of the founding of the state is September 3, 301; This holiday in the state is celebrated on a large scale. It is believed that it was Marinus (Marino) who became the discoverer of the quarries, first cutting out a small cell in the rock for solitary prayers. Marino was later recognized as a saint and is now considered the heavenly patron of the state.

The area of ​​the state is 61 km °, the population of San Marino is just over 32 thousand people. Citizenship of the state can only be obtained by a person born in San Marino and having at least one citizen parent, or for special merit; these include investments in the economy or culture of the country and its propaganda in the world (for example, in this way the journalist Dmitry Krylov, the author of "Unlucky Notes", obtained the citizenship of this country). Marriage with a citizen or citizen of San Marino does not give the right to a quick citizenship - it will be possible to obtain it only after having been married for at least 15 years. You can get citizenship even after a fairly long period - at 35 years old! - residence in the country.

Capital. The capital of the state of San Marino is bearing the same name. A little over 4 thousand people live in the capital. In the capital there are government agencies, newspaper editorial offices and a printing house, the National Central Bureau - the local representative office of Interpol. The entire territory of the capital, together with the fortress, is an object world heritage UNESCO.

Religion. In San Marino, the dominant religion is Catholicism - it is practiced by about 93% of the inhabitants. There are also representatives of other religions - for example, in 2010, 16 residents were Muslims.

Official language San Marino is Italian, although only just under 13% of the inhabitants are Italian. The main part of the population is made up of Sanmarinians (more than 85%). Other languages ​​​​are also common in San Marino - French, German and even Esperanto. About 2/3 of the population of San Marino is of working age - from 15 to 64 years.

culture San Marino is akin to Italian - apparently, it was the Italians who at one time made up the main part of the community created by St. Marino, and they came from Tuscany, since the Sanmarinians speak this particular dialect of the Italian language.

Currency San Marino - euro, earlier, from 1860 to 2002, the San Marino lira was used, equal to the Italian one, and only coins were issued, and Italian banknotes were used. Both Italian and Vatican coins were in free circulation in the country, as well as the coins of San Marino - in Italy and the Vatican. Today, commemorative coins are issued in San Marino in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 euro cents, as well as 1 and 2 euros. By the way, commemorative 2-euro coins issued by countries belonging to the eurozone usually cost from 3 to 30 euros, while San Marino coins are estimated at 35 to 100 euros.

Weather. San Marino has a Mediterranean climate, but due to its elevated position in winter it can be quite cold here at night: if the average daily temperature in winter is about + 4 ° C, then at night it can drop to -6 ° C. Winters are not snowy, if snow falls, then it does not lie for long. The weather in San Marino is mostly sunny with little rainfall. The rainiest months are autumn. In summer, the heat does not exhaust. The best time to visit San Marino is in the summer and in September.

Political and social structure

San Marino is a state with a high social level; the average salary is 3 thousand euros, while the doctor receives about 7 thousand, the teacher - more than 5. Secondary education and medicine in the country are free.

The form of government of San Marino is a republic. The executive branch is represented by two Captains Regent; they are appointed by the Great General Council, the term of office of each is six months: one performs his duties from April 1 to October 1, the second from October 1 to April 1. The Grand General Council is Parliament; he is elected for a term of 5 years; it consists of 60 deputies.

There are 7 law enforcement agencies in the country - the Guards of the Grand General Council, whose task is to ensure the security of the Parliament and the Captains-Regents (including the guards who also guard the Government Palace), the gendarmerie, a special police detachment that maintains order in special circumstances, the civilian police, consisting of the volunteers, the Rocca Guard and the Rocca Special Guard (the former most often participates in various festive ceremonies, the latter is a cross between the Constitutional Court and the border troops).

By the way, the crime rate in the state is one of the lowest in Europe.

Sights of the capital

Almost all of the most famous are located in the capital of the state.

The central square of the city is called. It is decorated with the Government Palace, built in the 19th century in neo-Gothic style by the Italian architect Francesco Azzurri. The building hosts meetings of the government of the country and the mayor's office. Tourists can view the inside of the building on days when there are no meetings, and admire the luxurious interiors of the Hall of Voting and the Hall of Councils. It is worth climbing to the roof along the spiral staircase - a magnificent view of the city opens from the roof. However, the building deserves to be seen from the outside, especially since guards in very colorful old uniforms are carried around it. The facade is decorated with a figurine of St. Marino.

Another attraction that has become calling card cities - The Statue of Liberty located in the same area. It was made of white marble in 1876 by the sculptor Stefano Galetti. Under the square there are tanks for collecting rainwater, they have been preserved since the 15th century.

The main state temple - built between 1826 and 1838 in the neoclassical style on the site of an old church dating back to the 4th century, and also dedicated to St. Marino. The old church was demolished due to the fact that it was completely dilapidated and practically beyond restoration.

The author of the project of the new temple is the architect Achilla Serra. The pediment is decorated with the inscription “Saint Marino, the patron saint who brought freedom. The Senate and the People. The church is active. Its interior is decorated with ancient statues and unique paintings, as well as 16 Corinthian columns. The decoration of the main altar is the statue of St. Marino, and part of his relics are buried under the altar (the other part is on the island of Rab, where he was born). Also in the basilica is the Throne of the Regent, dating from the beginning of the 17th century.

Very close to it is a very old church, preserved from the VI century - Church of Saint Andrew, which, in addition to its "venerable age", is famous for being the refuge for Giuseppe Garibaldi and his wife Anita in 1849.

There are several in the city, among which - in which there are more than 750 paintings and photographs, the Nature Center, in which you can see expositions dedicated to the flora and fauna of San Marino, as well as ancient fossil animals that were found on the territory of the state. In the city center is also located, where you can get acquainted with the history of San Marino. More than 5 thousand ancient exhibits are stored here, including the manuscript of Leonardo da Vinci, dedicated to the design of an aircraft.

Another must-see in San Marino is the Crossbow Quarry, an open-air sculpture museum. The original name is associated with crossbow competitions that took place here in the Middle Ages and continue to this day.

fortress towers

• the country has a regular army, the number of which is ... about 100 people;
• the most common combination of first and last names among residents is Marco Gasperoni; in general, the name Marco is the second most common male name in the country, in the first place is the name Andrea.

How to get to San Marino?

You can get to San Marino by bus from Italy, from the city of Rimini. The fare is 7 euros, and the time is about 40 minutes. You can also get here by car - for this you should go along the SS72 highway. Before World War II, there was Railway, but then it stopped functioning, and the canvas was dismantled. We recommend that you familiarize yourself with the rules of registration before planning a trip (the state is located in the Italian visa area).

Do you know which of the dwarf states is the dwarfest and oldest? This is the Republic of San Marino. But in the case of the state, old age and small size only add to its merits. When you drive up to the capital of the state of San Marino, the city of the same name, it becomes clear how they managed to maintain their independence from the 4th century to the present day.

The city of San Marino is protected by Monte Titano, which rises seven hundred and fifty meters above sea level. At first we drove up by car along a moderate serpentine, then we continued on foot already outside the walls of the fortress. When there was no motor transport, climbing the mountain where the capital of the dwarf state is located was a serious obstacle to the armies of the conquerors.

Napoleon, during his Italian campaign, declared that San Marino should be preserved as an example of freedom and passed by. In World War II, the republic managed to maintain its neutrality and avoid ruin. Cesare Borgia took the fortified city in 1503, but the Sanmarinians managed to get rid of tyranny a few months later.

For motorists, it is worth noting that if you uploaded maps of Italy to your navigator, then the map of San Marino will not be there, we fell into this trap and followed the signs on the road.

Among tourists San Marino is popular as duty free zone. But this is not the only advantage of a tiny state. From the mountain of Monte Titano open absolutely unforgettable views of the hills of Italy. The popular seaside resort - Rimini is located just 22 km from San Marino from the walls of the fortress you can see the Adriatic Sea in good weather.

Rimini and San Marino are connected by an excellent multi-lane highway, the uphill traffic was dense, many Italians go to the shops of the neighboring state for shopping. We went to a grocery supermarket at the entrance to the fortress, buyers rolled back carts loaded with a slide, you can immediately see what they were gaining in reserve, the prices are really pleasing.

Apennines - view from the walls of San Marino

Proximity seaside resort nearby provides San Marino with a continuous flow of tourists enriching the treasury of the state. The official language is Italian, not the official one - Russian, absolutely all sellers speak pure Russian, this surprised me the most, seeing Russian tourists as welcome guests in San Marino stores.

All pedestrian crossings are painted in the colors of the flag.

We managed to park the car right under the walls of the fortress, 50 meters from the gates of San Francesco. Parking is paid, the price is quite reasonable, otherwise I would remember how much they took. You need to pay at the machine and put the check under the glass.

Gate of San Francesco or Gate of Del Loco

Starting from the gates of Del Loco, only a hiking route is possible, immediately outside the gates there is a riotous trade, however, the higher you go uphill, the less fuss and people, many tourists are not interested in architecture and landscapes, but simply go shopping pragmatically.

The weather was rainy and cold, only +16. All Russian sellers told us that they would never remember such a cold July, it certainly hadn’t been for 10 years. We walked around San Marino on 07/10/2014. The umbrella that we bought broke, we had to fix it with adhesive tape, so in Germany you can also buy low-quality goods, the umbrella served us only 1 day.

Observation deck on Monte Titano

The rain, fortunately, poured intermittently, and by the evening it completely ended. Low clouds make it difficult to enjoy the surrounding scenery. The city was fortified and protected by three rows of fortified walls built at different times. The characteristic teeth on the towers are reminiscent of the Moscow Kremlin.

Fortress walls and parking

In total, there are three ancient fortresses on Mount Titano, two of them are museums, and the third is just a tower inside there is no entrance. Three fortresses are depicted on the coat of arms of the state.

Modern sculptures are installed at the foot of the fortress.

Quarry of crossbowmen "Ballerina" - modern art

We photographed only fairly conservative specimens, there were also very strange ones.

Crossbow Quarry "Girl on Skates" - Contemporary Art

Only at home I found out that it turns out that the sculpture is called “Bees”, we, as a whole friendly family, recognized mosquitoes in these insects. For bees, they are very thin, and what they do, everyone understands to the extent of their depravity.

Quarry crossbowmen "Bees" - contemporary art

Beneath the wall is a crossbow quarry where crossbow shooting competitions are still held.

Crossbow Quarry - Fortress Walls

government palace

The Government Palace is a new building, construction was completed in 1894. The new palace was built on the site of an ancient palace of the 16th century. Above the clock of the palace are images of St. Marino, the founder of the state, surrounded by St. Agatha and St. Leo. In front of the palace is the Statue of Liberty, as it looks in the Sanmarin version.

Government Palace and Statue of Liberty

Church of Santo Pieve

Alas, this church is a new building. The Sanmarines admitted that they had caused irreparable harm to the country when they demolished the old pre-Romanesque church of Pieve. The old church stood at the origins of Christianity and was a unique monument of the history and culture of the state.

Under the altar of the modern church, part of the relics of St. Marino is kept. He lived during the time of the Roman emperor Diolectian and was a Christian; the future saint fled to Monte Titano to escape persecution and lived a long life with the Christians who joined him. He and his followers founded this tiny state.

Church of Santo Pieve

The first fortress - Guiata

It is impossible to say exactly when construction began, it is absolutely known that in 1371, according to documentary sources, there were already three fortresses on the mountain, the beginning of construction is presumably attributed to the 10th century.

First fortress of Guiata

Naturally, for long years the existence of the fortification was repeatedly rebuilt and restored.

The second fortress - Chesta

Sometimes this fortress is also called Fratta. The fortress, like the others, stands on the very edge of the cliff, on the very high peak mountains of Titano. Now in the fortress there is a museum of ancient weapons, which we visited, our boys love weapons. The ticket to the museum is made in the form of a plastic card, you can give it back at the exit and get 1 euro for each ticket.

The second fortress of Chest

Very picturesque old paths lead from one fortress to another. The second fortress in my opinion is the most beautiful.

Chesta fortress tower

Only those who bought a ticket to the museum of ancient weapons can walk along the towers of the fortress, hanging over a cliff, so I advise you.

Third fortress - Montale

The third fortress is just one tower. Most likely, the fortress was simply not completed due to the changed political situation.

The tower served as an observation and sentry and covered the left flank of Chesta.

Third Fortress of Montale

Well, some more picturesque views of the surroundings. Fields and hills of Italy.

Views from the fortress walls

Going down, you again plunge into the crowd making purchases in the lower stores. everyone recognizes San Marino as the highlight of the entire trip. Crazy fuss reigns only in the first tier, the higher you go upstairs, the quieter and calmer.

San Marino on the map

San Marino, a dwarf state in Italy. Being an enclave, it is enclosed on all sides by Italian territories. The state is considered the oldest in the world, since its foundation falls at the very beginning of the 4th century, even the exact date of 301 years from the birth of Christ is known. A stonemason from the island of Rab with friends found refuge on Mount Titano and since then their descendants call themselves Sanmarinians.

San Marino on the map

In the window below, you can take a virtual tour of San Marino. Use the navigation arrows in the upper left corner of the image. You can also change the viewing angle using the arrows on the keyboard. To move around the picture, you can click in the image area. The arrows on the streets of the city show the routes. You can change your position on the city map by dragging the yellow man in the lower right corner of the image with the mouse:

Storms and hardships bypassed the small republic. It was of little interest to the powerful population of neighboring states. However, as soon as they tried to install a powerful TV station and a casino in 1951, Italy forbade it. Motives are lost in history, but probably were. Thus San Marino had to submit.

San Marino Map

Today, San Marino is inhabited by about 32 thousand people. They stubbornly separate themselves from the Italians, preserving their independence. And this is vital, because the main inflow of funds comes from tourists who want to visit this curious corner of Europe. Picturesque landscapes, magnificent fortresses, built by craftsmen of a small republic, delight the eyes of tourists and fill the memory with new impressions. San Mariino is a very wealthy state. About 45,000 dollars per person here falls annually.

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Advertising page. Of course, San Marino is a wonderful corner of Europe. It looks like a small diamond brooch, which is so prized by women. Irkutsk, of course, is a completely different matter. This harsh Siberian city could accommodate three dozen such San Marines. Certainly, daily rent apartments in Irkutsk, in this case, it would have risen very much. However, now it is quite accessible. So if you need daily rent Irkutsk will always provide them to you.

The Republic of San Marino is a small state in southern Europe. According to legend, its founder was a simple stone maker named Marinius.

He created a community of Christians, which did not fall apart after his death, and its members lived freely and proudly. The place where they lived was first called "Land of San Marino", then - "Community of San Marino" and only later became known as the "Republic of San Marino".

San Marino on the map of the world, Europe and Italy

The state is tiny, the third in the list of the smallest states in Europe.

Where is?

It is located in Europe, in its southern part, in the northeast of Italy. Most likely do not know in which country the little-known San Marino is located. Italy surrounds the Republic, it is bordered in the south and west by the Marche region, in the north and east by the Emilia-Romagna region.

Distance from San Marino to the main historic city Italy, about 350 kilometers.

Choose plane tickets to using this search form. Enter departure and arrival cities, date And number of passengers.

Pretty easy to get to by car, there is no border control, which is a plus. Parking is free almost everywhere in the country.

And one of the most unusual and beautiful ways to get from the capital to one of major cities, Borgo Maggiore, - By cable car (only one and a half kilometers in cabins through the air with amazing beautiful views around).

Map of San Marino with cities in Russian

The state is so small that it does not include even a dozen large cities.

Large settlements

In this small republic nine cities(listed by size):

1. Serravalle;
2. Borgo Maggiore;
3. San Marino;
4. Domagnano;
5. Fiorentino;
6. Acquaviva;
7. Faetano;
8. Chiesanuova;
9. Montegiardino.

These cities are also called "castelli"(on Italian"locks").

Capital

The capital is the city of the same name San Marino. It is the third largest, both in terms of area and population. It is a little over four thousand people.

The city is located on a hill, and all state institutions are located in it. The government, printing house, newspaper editors - right there.

Information about the state

Form of government

The Parliament of the Republic is Grand General Council, with 60 members. They are elected by popular vote for a term of 5 years. Heads of State: Two Captains Regent who represent the executive branch and are elected every 6 months.

Government of San Marino State Congress. All its members (and there are 10 of them) are elected by the Great General Council for 5 years. The Republic is divided into 9 districts. In any district there is a commission, it elects the head - the captain. The term of his election is two years.

Population and language

The population of the republics is about thirty-three thousand people. It cannot be said that there is a concept of “official language” in the republic, but documents are maintained in Italian. The population speaks the local dialect of Italian. Most understand and can explain themselves in English language especially in the capital.

What to see?

Perhaps all the cities of the republic are beautiful and worth visiting. It is most convenient to drive between them by car, along the roads that go along the hills with amazing views. In themselves, the cities of the republic are cultural and architectural heritage. Tourists can also visit towers that are featured on the flag of San Marino.

Two of the towers can be accessed by paying an entrance fee, while the third is closed to the public.

In the town of San Marino, the town square has its own The Statue of Liberty. It is recommended to visit the Government Palace, the Museum of the Republic, and just take a walk along the beautiful old streets filled with the spirit of the Middle Ages.

Interactive maps of San Marino

Interactive map of San Marino from Google

Of the interactive maps of San Marino available without going to third-party sites, by far the most interesting is the map from Google, which represents the most detailed cartographic image of the cities and villages of San Marino, as well as most of the country's geographical features. The map was created on the basis of up-to-date satellite images and topographic measurements. Most of the objects on the map are signed in Cyrillic, which makes the Google map very useful for travelers and people who are fond of geography. For ease of use, additional layers have been added to the map of San Marino from Google:

1. Search, which allows you to quickly find the object you are interested in without reloading the page, whether it is a certain locality or some organization;

2. 4 layers that allow you to switch between different viewing modes: a regular map, satellite images of the San Marino territory, an option that combines satellite images with applied names settlements, streets, house numbers, as well as a landscape map;

3. Ability to use panoramic images for virtual travel around the cities of San Marino, as well as viewing photos;

4. A mini-map that allows you to quickly move to any area of ​​the Earth without having to zoom out on the main map.

Interactive map of San Marino from OpenStreetMap

An excellent alternative to Google maps can be cartographic images of San Marino created by members of the non-profit OpenStreetMap project. The main advantages of such cards are:

1. High speed of adding and updating material;

2. The presence of terrain in San Marino not marked on any other well-known mapping service;