A short trip to San Marino

Hello friends. I’d like to tell you about a short trip I took. I say short because I visited one of the smallest states in the world, but at the same time, the oldest republic on earth. San Marino might be small, but it’s certainly fascinating. I started my trip from virtually the highest point of the country.

Actually this place is literally a historical country. This historic center is located atop Mount Titano. Meaning a quite majestic, steep and rocky mountain. This condition largely determined the fate and independence of San Marino. We were seven hundred fifty six meters above sea level. The sea looked wonderful from up here. The Adriatic, Rimini and those coastal towns unfolded before our eyes with a tremendous view.

One of the three towers stands at this high point. Its name is the Cesta Tower. These three towers are already the symbols of San Marino and are even featured on the country’s coat of arms. Cesta is a donjon, meaning a inhabited tower rather than merely a defensive one. It was built in the tenth century over a watchtower left from the Romans. Since it was restored in nineteen twenty four, it looks to be in really good condition. Inside there’s a museum of weapons of ancient peoples, likely including those of the people of San Marino as well.

The museum naturaly displays the weapons used by the San Marino army first and foremost. Though it might sound a bit funny, there is still an army here. They have a whole crossbow unit that has been active since the fifteenth century. This isn’t actually surprising. Because San Marino was small, it couldn’t attack anyone, but many tried to capture it. In history only once were the troops of Cesare Borgia able to occupy this place.

This defensive power relied on their ability to hit the approaching enemy straight in the heart while still far away, meaning they were very good marksmen. Crossbows were part of this too. Because unlike a regular bow, learning the crossbow was much faster and extremely effective in battle.

As for the architecture of Cesta tower, its cross sectional plan is quite intriguing. It’s pentagonal. You don’t often encounter towers like this. Among the three towers here, another one is a bit further away and cannot be entered, called Montale. The first tower is Guaita. And that’s exactly where we headed.

From Cesta tower to Guaita tower, we walked along the path called Witches Passage. Of course, I wondered how it came to be named after witches. The answer is both very simple and very interesting. Turns out San Marino didn’t hand over women accused of witchcraft to the Inquisition. Women facing these accusations would take refuge here and live peacefully until old age.

We arrived at the first tower or rather this fortress called Guaita. Guaita is the first fortification structure in San Marino and was established in twelve fifty three at the site of the very first settlement here. That first settlement came to be thanks to Marinus. The country’s name actually comes from him. Marinus was a stonemason who was persecuted during the reign of Emperor Diocletian for being a Christian. He fled here, hid on Mount Titano and began living here. Over time he accepted others of his faith alongside him. This event took place at the beginning of the fourth century AD.

You definitely know Diocletian. He’s the emperor who gave up power at the end of his career and went off to grow cabbages. He was of Dalmatian origin and went to Split. The interesting thing is, Marinus was Dalmatian too. So one ended up chasing the other around. It’s also worth saying this about the emperor. After fifty years of uncertainty and thirty emperors, most of whom were forcibly overthrown and murdered—he took power, stabilized the empire and halted inflation, making him one of the most successful rulers. His only mistake was getting influenced by his inner circle and going after Christians. But without him, there wouldn’t be a San Marino today

Getting back to the castle, there are a few interesting details. First just like the tower, the castle has a pentagonal plan. Second, the main bell tower used to announce enemy raids,meaning the start of war is located here. Nowadays this bell rings very rarely. It’s used only to announce the ceremonial meetings of the local parliament or the passing of one of the Captains Regent.

On the grounds there is also a small chapel built in the name of Saint Barbara. Barbara was the patron saint of artillerymen. She also lived and was canonized right around the period when San Marino was founded and Marinus came here. Btw Marinus is also a figure who achieved sainthood.

Another eyecatching detail is this. When castles lose their primary function they are usually converted into prisons. Guaita couldn’t escape this fate either. There was a small prison here as well. It has a few cells and there’s even a small iron bed in one of them. What’s interesting is that there are some unusal drawings on the walls, whether done by prisoners or someone else, I don’t know, but it’s hardly typical decoration for a prison cell.

Seeing a neoclassical building here is quite surprising. This structure is the Basilica of Saint Marinus. It takes its name from both the country and its founder. It’s a neoclassical building with Corinthian columns. The interior follows the traditional lines of the neoclassical style as well. Three-nave columns, a rotunda where the altar sits and a vaulted, coffered ceiling.

At the center of the altar stands a marble statue of Saint Marinus. Around him are Saint Matthew, John, Peter and Paul. Right in the middle sits a statue of the Risen Christ. This is also the place where the remains of Saint Marinus are preserved inside a special bronze reliquary. Because there was a small restoration going on, the view was a bit restricted, but everything will likely be back in order by the time you visit.

As we move toward the final point of our walk, we need to talk about one more person and one more place. That person is Bartolomeo Borghesi. Borghesi was an antiquarian and the man who founded the science of numismatics. He lived near Rimini and San Marino and passed away here, which is why a statue of him was erected. Fleeing the oppression that began during the Carbonari uprisings, he took refuge in San Marino and spent the rest of his life here.

The second story is about Cava dei Balestrieri or Quarry of the Crossbowmen. In the past this was a stone quarry. The stones used to build the ramparts and towers were extracted from here. Today it hosts the only surviving crossbow unit in the world, which is part of San Marino’s small army. They train regularly and it’s even possible to see them here early in the morning. In competitions they shoot arrows at a three-centimeter target from thirtysix meters away. Bravo, honestly.

We finished our short journey at Freedom Square the main square of the free state of San Marino. They even wrote Libertas on their coat of arms. The ostrich feathers atop the towers on the coat of arms precisely symbolize freedom and independence. So why are they so independent? Maybe it’s because they’re so democratic. They might even be the most democratic country in the world! Located in Freedom square is the Palazzo Pubblico. It houses a sixty member parliament, which is quite crowded for such a small country.

The country is governed by two Captains Regent who are elected for only six months and usually come from different parties. The goal is to prevent the concentration of power in a single hand and curb any abuse of authority. At least three years must pass before they can be re-elected. Even more interesting, after their term ends all the actions and decisions they made undergo a mandatory review. If they made a wrong decision, they could get into serious trouble.

To me this is the most fantastic, super democratic form of governance I’ve seen in the world. If you know a more democratic place, write it in the comments, but it seemed incredible to me. Of course, the Captains have some privileges too. They can drive their official cars right up to the front of the palace. What bugs my mind is this. How do they decide which one gets to be the first car and which one the second? Do they flip a coin, I wonder?

I found a quieter spot away from the wind. When I visited the wind was blowing really hard. It was almost blowing you away at Guaita Tower. Btw you can climb the tower, but the passage is quite narrow. Don’t overdo it at breakfast so you don’t end up in a tight spot when you come to San Marino. But it’s definitely worth the climb. I had visited once before and really loved the place. Now I’ve both refreshed my memories and gathered new impressions.

A nice detail is this. You can drive up to the historic center. Parking lots are available. Or you can take the cable car up, which is also a great option. Also don’t forget that San Marino is a dutyfree zone. Tourists coming to Rimini stop by here for shopping too. Of course, since the locals know the situation, don’t rejoice thinking I got it for dirt cheap. It’s not practically free, but you can find luxury brands.

In short there are plenty of options and it’s definitely worth a visit. If you liked it, don’t forget to add this sunny yet equally windy country to your travel list.