Founded according to myth in 301 AD, San Marino claims to be the oldest extantsovereign state and the oldestconstitutional republic.[11] It is named afterSaint Marinus, a legendarystonemason from theRoman island ofRab (in present-dayCroatia), who is supposed to have established a monastic community on Monte Titano. The country has arare constitutional structure: theGrand and General Council, a democratically elected legislature, selects two heads of state, theCaptains Regent, every six months. They are chosen from opposing political parties, and serve concurrently with equal powers and preside over several institutions of state, including the Grand and General Council. Only theFederal Council of Switzerland also follows that structure, except with seven heads of state.
San Marino is a member of theCouncil of Europe and uses theeuro as its official currency, but is not part of theEuropean Union. The official language isItalian. Its economy is based on finance, industry, services, retail, and tourism, and it ranks among the wealthiest countries in the world byGDP (PPP) per capita.[2] San Marino was also the first existing state to abolish thedeath penalty[12] and currently ranks43rd on theHuman Development Index.[13]
Illustration of Saint Marinus, the founder of the Republic of San Marino and prominent cultural figure
According to legendary accounts that were first recorded centuries after he is suggested to have lived,[14][15]Saint Marinus left theisland of Rab in present-dayCroatia with his lifelong friend Leo, and went to the city ofRimini as a stonemason. After theDiocletianic Persecution following his Christian sermons, he escaped to the nearbyMonte Titano, where he built a small church and thus founded what is now the city and state of San Marino.
According to William Miller, these accounts of the origin of San Marino "are a mixture of fables and miracles, but perhaps contain some grains of fact". The earliest historical evidence for a monastic community in San Marino dates to the 5th or 6th century AD, when a monk named Eugippus recorded that another monk had lived in a monastery in the area.[15] In 1291, San Marino appealed to the bishop of Arezzo, Ildebrandino Guidi di Romena, against the contribution demands by the Vicario delMontefeltro. Jurist Palamede di Rimini decided in favour of San Marino and recognised its tax exemption from tributes demands of Montefeltro. In 1296, when Guglielmo Durante was the governor of Romagna, Sammarinesi appealed toPope Boniface VIII against the further requests by the Montefeltropodestas regarding tributes. Abbot Ranieri di Sant'Anastasio was assigned to judge the dispute. A long process was held using various witnesses and sources to determine San Marino tax's exemption status. The verdict was probably in favour of the autonomy of San Marino, as later the State did not pay taxes to the Montefeltro.[16]
In 1320, the community ofChiesanuova chose to join the country.[17] In 1463, San Marino was enlarged by the inclusion of the communities ofFaetano,Fiorentino,Montegiardino, andSerravalle; since then, the country's borders have remained unchanged.[18]
On 4 June 1543, Fabiano di Monte San Savino, nephew of the laterPope Julius III, attempted to conquer the republic, but his infantry and cavalry failed as they got lost in a dense fog, which the Sammarinesi attributed toSaint Quirinus, whose feast day it was.[20]
After theDuchy of Urbino was annexed by thePapal States in 1625, San Marino became surrounded by the papal states. This led to its seeking the formal protection of the Papal States in 1631, but this never amounted to ade facto Papal control of the republic.[21]
The country was occupied on 17 October 1739 by the legate (Papal governor) ofRavenna, CardinalGiulio Alberoni, but independence was restored byPope Clement XII on 5 February 1740, the feast day ofSaint Agatha, after which she became a patron saint of the republic.[22]
The advance ofNapoleon's army in 1797 presented a brief threat to the independence of San Marino, but the country was saved from losing its liberty by one of its regents,Antonio Onofri, who managed to gain the respect and friendship of Napoleon. Due to Onofri's intervention, Napoleon promised, in a letter toGaspard Monge, scientist and commissary of the French Government for Science and Art, to guarantee and protect the independence of the Republic, even offering to extend its territory according to its needs. The offer was declined by the regents, fearing future retaliation from other states'revanchism.[23][24]
Anita and Giuseppe Garibaldi in San Marino, 1849The San Marino constitution, or more precisely statutes, of 1600
During the later phase of theItalian unification process in the 19th century, San Marino served as a refuge for many people persecuted because of their support for unification, includingGiuseppe Garibaldi and his wifeAnita. Garibaldi allowed San Marino to remain independent. San Marino and theKingdom of Italy signed a Convention of Friendship in 1862.[25]
The government of San Marino made United States PresidentAbraham Lincoln an honorary citizen. He wrote in reply, saying that the republic proved that "government founded on republican principles is capable of being so administered as to be secure and enduring".[26][27]
DuringWorld War I, when Italy declared war onAustria-Hungary on 24 May 1915, San Marino remained neutral and Italy adopted a hostile view of Sammarinese neutrality, suspecting that San Marino could harbour Austrian spies who could be given access to its new radiotelegraph station. Italy tried to forcibly establish a detachment ofCarabinieri in the republic and then cut the republic's telephone lines when it did not acquiesce. Two groups of ten volunteers joined the Italian forces in the fighting on theItalian front, the first as combatants and the second as a medical corps operating a Red Cross field hospital. The existence of this hospital later caused Austria-Hungary to suspend diplomatic relations with San Marino.[28]
After the war, San Marino suffered from high rates of unemployment and inflation, leading to increased tension between the lower and middle classes. The latter, fearing that the moderate government of San Marino would make concessions to the lower class majority, began to show support for theSammarinese Fascist Party (Partito Fascista Sammarinese, PFS), founded in 1922 and styled largely on theirItalian counterpart. PFS rule lasted from 1923 to 1943, and during this time they often sought support fromBenito Mussolini's fascist government in Italy.[29] DuringWorld War II, San Marino remained neutral, although it was wrongly reported in an article inThe New York Times that it had declared war on theUnited Kingdom on 17 September 1940.[30] The Sammarinese government later transmitted a message to the British government stating that they had not actually declared war.[31]
British troops at Monte Titano during the Battle of San Marino, September 1944
On 28 July 1943, three days after thefall of the Fascist regime in Italy, PFS rule collapsed and the new government declared neutrality in the conflict. The PFS regained power on 1 April 1944, but kept neutrality intact. On 26 June 1944, thebombing of San Marino happened. The country was bombed by four waves ofAllied bombers under the incorrect belief that San Marino had been occupied by German forces and was being used to amass stores and ammunition. The Sammarinese government declared on the same day that no military installations or equipment were located on its territory, and that no belligerent forces had been allowed to enter.[32] Nevertheless, smaller bombing raids continued until the 29th of August of that year, causing extensive damage to the city centre as well as the railway line connecting the country to nearby Rimini. San Marino accepted thousands of civilian refugees when Allied forces overran theGothic Line.[33] In September 1944, it was briefly occupied by German forces, who were defeated by the Allies in theBattle of San Marino. Allied troops occupied San Marino for two months before departing.[34]
It is one of only three countries in the world to be completely surrounded by one other country. The other two areVatican City, also surrounded by Italy, andLesotho, surrounded by South Africa. It is the third smallest country in Europe, after Vatican City andMonaco, and the fifth-smallest country in the world.[9]
San Marino has ahumid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification:Cfa), with some continental influences. It has warm to hot summers and cool winters, typical of inland areas of the centralItalian Peninsula. Precipitation is scattered throughout the year with no real dry month. Snowfalls are common and heavy almost every winter, especially above 400–500 m (1,300–1,600 feet) of elevation.
San Marino is considered to have the earliest written governing documents still in effect, as the Statutes of 1600 are still at the core of its constitutional framework.[44]
San Marino was originally led by theArengo, initially formed from the heads of each family. In the 13th century, power was given to the Grand and General Council. In 1243, the first two captains regent were nominated by the council. Still today, Captains Regent are elected every six months by the council.
The legislature of the republic is the Grand and General Council (Consiglio grande e generale). The council is a unicameral legislature with 60 members. There are elections every five years by proportional representation in all nine administrative districts. These districts (townships) correspond to the oldparishes of the republic. Allcitizens 18 years or older are eligible to vote.
Besides general legislation, the Grand and General Council approves the budget and elects the captains regent, the State Congress (composed of ten secretaries with executive power), the Council of Twelve (which forms thejudicial branch during the period of legislature of the council), the Advising Commissions, and the Government Unions. The council also has the power to ratify treaties with other countries. The council is divided into five different Advising Commissions consisting of fifteen councilors who examine, propose, and discuss the implementation of new laws that are on their way to being presented on the floor of the council.
Every six months, the council elects two captains regent to be the heads of state. The captains are chosen from opposing parties so that there is a balance of power. They serve a six-month term. The investiture of the captains regent takes place on 1 April and 1 October in every year. Once this term is over, citizens have three days in which to file complaints about the captains' activities. If they warrant it, judicial proceedings against the ex-head(s) of state can be initiated.
The practice of having two heads of state chosen in frequent elections is derived directly from the customs of theRoman Republic. The council is equivalent to theRoman Senate; the captains regent, to theconsuls of ancientRome. It is thought the inhabitants of the area came together as Roman rule collapsed to form a rudimentary government for their own protection from foreign rule.
On 1 October 2007,Mirko Tomassoni was elected as captain regent, making him the first disabled person elected to that office.[45]
San Marino has had morefemale heads of state than any other country: 15 as of October 2014, including three who served twice.
On 1 April 2022, 58-year-oldPaolo Rondelli was elected as one of the two captains regent. He had previously been the Ambassador to the United States and is the world's first openly gay head of state.[46]
San Marino is geographically divided into ninecastelli (lit.'castles', equivalent to amunicipality),[47] each of which contains a capital (capoluogo), with other population centres sorted intocurazie (equivalent to Italianfrazioni). Eachcastello is led by a Castle Captain (Italian:Capitano di Castello) and a Castle Council (Giunta di Castello), elected every five years.[48]
San Marino's military forces are among the smallest in the world. National defence is, by arrangement, the responsibility ofItaly's armed forces. Different branches have varied functions, including performing ceremonial duties, patrolling borders, mounting guard at government buildings, and assisting police in major criminal cases. Thepolice are not included in the military of San Marino.
Once at the heart of San Marino's army, the Crossbow Corps is now a ceremonial force of approximately 80 volunteers. Since 1295, the Crossbow Corps has provided demonstrations ofcrossbow shooting at festivals. Its uniform design is medieval. While still a statutory military unit, the Crossbow Corps has no military function today.
TheGuard of the Rock is a front-line military unit in the San Marino armed forces, a state border patrol, with responsibility for patrolling borders and defending them.[49] In their role as Fortress Guards they are responsible for guarding the Palazzo Pubblico inSan Marino City, the seat of national government.
In this role they are the forces most visible to tourists and are known for their colourful ceremony ofChanging the Guard.[49] Under the 1987 statute the Guard of the Rock are all enrolled as "Criminal Police Officers" (in addition to their military role) and assist the police in investigating major crime. The uniform of the Guard of the Rock is a distinctive red and green.[49]
The Guard of the Grand and General Council commonly known as The Guard of the council or locally as the "Guard of Nobles", formed in 1741,[49] is a volunteer unit with ceremonial duties. Due to its striking blue, white, and gold uniform, it is perhaps the best-known part of the Sammarinese military, and appears on countless postcard views of the republic. The functions of the Guard of the council are to protect thecaptains regent, and to defend the Grand and General Council during its formal sessions. They also act as ceremonial bodyguards to government officials at both state and church festivals.
In former times, all families with two or more adult male members were required to enroll half of them in the Company of Uniformed Militia. This unit remains the basic fighting force of the armed forces of San Marino, but is largely ceremonial. It is a matter of civic pride for many Sammarinese to belong to the force, and all citizens with at least six years' residence in the republic are entitled to enroll.[citation needed]
The uniform is dark blue, with akepi bearing a blue and white plume. The ceremonial form of the uniform includes a white cross-strap, and white and blue sash, white epaulets, and white decorated cuffs.
Formally this is part of the Army Militia,[49] and is the ceremonial military band of San Marino. It consists of approximately 60 musicians.[50] The uniform is similar to that of the Army Militia. Military Ensemble music accompanies most state occasions in the republic.
Established in 1842, theGendarmerie of San Marino is a militarised law enforcement agency.[49] Its members are full-time and have responsibility for the protection of citizens and property, and the preservation of law and order.
The entire military corps of San Marino depends upon the co-operation of full-time forces and their retained (volunteer) colleagues, known as theCorpi Militari Volontari, or Voluntary Military Force.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in San Marino may face legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBTQ residents. Both male and female same-sex sexual activity are legal in San Marino, but households headed by same-sex couples are not eligible for the same legal protections available to opposite-sex couples.
Discrimination on account ofsexual orientation is banned under the 2019 amendments to theConstitution of San Marino. In November 2018, theGrand and General Council approved a bill to legalisecivil unions. The law, which took effect on 5 December 2018 and became fully operational on 11 February 2019, following a number of further legal and administrative changes, allows same-sex and opposite-sex couples to enter into a union and receive some of the rights and benefits of marriage.
San Marino offers a competitive tax environment designed to attract investment and support economic development. The standard corporate income tax (Imposta Generale sui Redditi, IGR) rate is 17%. However, new businesses benefit from a reduced rate of 8.5% for the first five years of operation, provided they meet specific employment criteria, such as hiring at least one employee within six months and a second within 24 months of starting operations.[56][57][58][59]
Innovative startups participating in San Marino's innovation programmes are eligible for further tax incentives:[60]
The personal income tax was introduced in 1984 and underwent significant reforms in 2013 to enhance fiscal revenue. San Marino imposes withholding taxes on various forms of income:
San Marino does not implement a traditional value-added tax (VAT) system. Instead, it applies a single-stage import tax known as "imposta monofase," levied at a standard rate of 17% on the importation cost of goods. This tax is applied only once at the point of importation and does not extend to services. Under the customs union agreement with the European Union, this import tax is considered equivalent to the EU's VAT system.[63]
To encourage investment, San Marino offers several tax incentives:
Dividends received by non-resident companies are 95% exempt from taxation, provided the participation has been held continuously for at least twelve months.
Investments in capital goods or real estate can lead to a reduction in taxable income by up to 90%.[60]
Because San Marino's tax rate is lower than surroundingItaly's, many businesses choose to be based in San Marino to avoid the higher rates. San Marino boasts a corporate rate 14.5% lower than Italy (23%) and 12.5% lower than the EU average (21.3%). This has made San Marino thetax haven of choice for many wealthy Italians and businesses.[64][65]
Thetourism sector contributes over 22% of San Marino'sGDP,[66] with approximately 2 million tourists having visited in 2014.[67] On average tourists spend about 2 nights in the republic[68] making on average a tourist present per 3 residents at any given time.[citation needed]
San Marino and Italy have engaged in conventions since 1862,[69] dictating some economic activities in San Marino's territory.
Cultivation of tobacco and production of goods which are subject to Italy'sgovernment monopoly are forbidden in San Marino. Direct import is forbidden; all goods coming from a third party have to travel through Italy before reaching the country. Although it is allowed to print its own postal stamps, San Marino is not allowed to coin its own currency and is obliged to useItaly's mint; the agreement does not affect the right of the Republic of San Marino to continue to issue gold coins denominated inScudi[70] (the legal value of 1 gold Scudo is 37.50 euros). Gambling is legal and regulated; however, casinos were outlawed prior to 2007. There is one legally operating casino.[citation needed]
In exchange for these limitations, Italy provides San Marino with an annual stipend, provided at cost, of sea salt (not more than 250 tonnes per year), tobacco (40 tonnes), cigarettes (20 tonnes) and matches (unlimited number).[71]
At the border there are no formalities with Italy. However, at the tourist office visitors can purchase officially cancelled souvenir stamps for theirpassports.[citation needed]
As of September 2023, San Marino is estimated to number 33,896 residents. Of these, 28,226 have Sammarinese citizenship, while 4,881 have Italian citizenship, with 789 citizens of other countries.[72] Another 13,000 Sammarinese live abroad (6,600 in Italy, 3,000 in the US, 2,000 in France and Argentina).[73]
The first census since 1976 was conducted in 2010. Results were expected by the end of 2011; however, 13% of families did not return their forms.[citation needed]
The official language of San Marino isItalian.[74] The Sammarinese dialect ofRomagnol is also spoken, mainly by the elderly. It is considered anendangered language.[75]
Alessandra Perilli (born 1988 in Rimini), shooting Olympic silver and bronze medalist and first San Marino citizen to win a medal (Tokyo 2020)
Gian Marco Berti (born 1982 in San Marino), shooting Olympic silver medalist and second San Marino citizen to win a medal (Tokyo 2020)
Myles Nazem Amine (born 1996 inDearborn, Michigan), 2020 86 kg wrestling Olympic bronze medalist and third San Marino citizen to win a medal (Tokyo 2020)
San Marino is a predominantlyCatholic state,[2] though Catholicism is not anestablished religion. 97.2% of the population professed the Catholic faith in 2011, and approximately half of those regularly attend church. There is noepiscopal see in San Marino, although its name is part of the present diocesan title. Historically, the various parishes in San Marino were divided between two Italiandioceses, mostly in theDiocese of Montefeltro, and partly in theDiocese of Rimini. In 1977, the border betweenMontefeltro andRimini was readjusted so that all of San Marino fell within the diocese of Montefeltro. Thebishop of Montefeltro-San Marino resides inPennabilli, in Italy's province ofPesaro e Urbino. The country's high Catholic majority can mainly be traced back to the country's founding, whenSaint Marinus set up the first fortress to protect Christians from Roman persecution.[76] The small state's culture has primarily remained Catholic ever since.
There is a provision under the income tax rules that taxpayers have the right to request the allocation of 0.3% of their income tax to the Catholic Church or to charities.
Other faiths include theWaldensian Church andJehovah's Witnesses.There has been aJewish presence in San Marino for at least 600 years.[79] The first mention of Jews in San Marino dates to the late 14th century, in official documents recording the business transactions of Jews. There are many documents throughout the 15th to 17th centuries describing Jewish dealings and verifying the presence of a Jewish community in San Marino.[80] Jews were permitted official protection by the government.
DuringWorld War II, San Marino provided a haven for more than 100,000 Jews and other Italians (approximately 10 times the Sammarinese population at the time) fromNazi persecution. As of 2012[update], few Jews remain.[81]
In 2019, the sculptureDialogue byMichele Chiaruzzi was inaugurated at Saint Anne Chapel, the first monument of its kind devoted to interfaith dialogue.[82]
As of December 2023, eight bus routes operate entirely within San Marino. All but one line starts in theCity of San Marino, with several lines servingBorgo Maggiore,Domagnano,Serravalle,Dogana, and San Marino Hospital.[85] Start Romagna SpA operates several routes that run entirely in Italian territory but near the Sammarinese border, providing connections to Rimini,Verucchio, andNovafeltria.[88][89][90]
Rimini and San Marino are connected by the coach companies Bonelli and Benedettini, which provide several services per day throughout the year.[91] In the City of San Marino, the coaches depart from the central bus stop in Piazzale Marino Calcigni,[91][92] then stop inBorgo Maggiore,Domagnano,Serravalle,Dogana, and Cerasolo, afrazione ofCoriano, before reaching Rimini'sArch of Augustus andrailway station.[91] The coaches complete the route in approximately fifty minutes.[91]
The cablecar system transports 500,000 passengers yearly across approximately 21,000 trips.[84][99] It was inaugurated on 1 August 1959.[99][100][101][102] In 1995 and 1996, it was modernised with double load-bearing cables built byDoppelmayr Italia,[103][100] and further renovated in spring 2017.[98][100]
The terminal ofFellini Airport in March 2018, since its repainting
Since the 1980s, the governments of San Marino and Italy have signed several bilateral agreements concerning San Marino's access to Fellini Airport.[104][105][106] After the Sammarinese government acquired a 3% stake in Fellini Airport's management company, Aeradria, in 2002,[107] the airport was officially named Rimini-San Marino Airport.[108] In June 2018, Ariminum, Aeradria's successor as Fellini Airport's management company, repainted the airport terminal to readAeroporto Internazionale di Rimini e San Marino (Rimini and San Marino International Airport), replacing the previousAeroporto Internazionale Federico Fellini (Federico Fellini International Airport).[109] The most significant bilateral agreement, ratified on 16 September 2013, provided San Marino a forty-year concession over some areas of Fellini Airport.[105][110][111] The areas were expected to host a private terminal, with a customs border allowing goods destined for San Marino not to pass through Italian customs.[111] As of August 2023, Sammarinese authorities still have no presence at the airport.[110]
Torraccia Airfield is San Marino's only aviation facility. It is a smallgeneral aviationaerodrome inTorraccia, a village east of thecastello of Domagnano, less than 200 metres (660 feet) from the Italian border.[112] Torraccia's onlygrassrunway was first used in 1981, but the airfield's structure was opened in 1985.[113][114] In July 2012, the runway was extended to 650 metres (2,130 feet).[112] The airfield is owned and operated by Aeroclub San Marino,[112][113][115] aflying club with approximately 100 members.[114] In the summer, between ten and fifteen planes typically land at the airfield per day.[113][116] The airfield hosts aflight school, recreational flights and sports, and some tourist flights in small aircraft.[112][114][115]
At the site of the present-day parking lot for the Funivia's Borgo Maggiore terminus was aheliport,[117][118] which inaugurated its first flights in September 1950.[102] On 30 June 1959, a helicopter line running between Borgo Maggiore and a heliport by Rimini's port was inaugurated.[102][119][120] Operated by Compagnia Italiana Elicotteri, the service ran several times per day,[121][120] using a fleet of four-seaterBell 47J Rangers and a three-seaterAgusta-Bell AB-47G,[102][121][120] which were serviced at Rimini's airport.[120] In 1964, the line was extended toSan Leo.[121][120] Tickets would cost up to 12,500 lire,[121] including the cablecar to the City of San Marino and a shuttle to theLeonine fortress. The service would take fifteen minutes to reach Rimini and ten minutes to reach San Leo. The service closed in 1969.[121][120]
San Marino currently has no railway except an800-metre (1⁄2-mile)heritage railway, which opened in 2012.[122]
Between 1932 and 1944, a 31.5-kilometre (19.6-mile)electrifiednarrow gauge railway operated between Rimini and theCity of San Marino, servingDogana,Serravalle,Domagnano, andBorgo Maggiore along its route.[123] During theSecond World War, the line was bombed and closed,[123][124] after which its tunnels sheltered refugees during the Battles ofRimini andSan Marino.[125][126] After the war, the railway was abandoned in favour of theSan Marino Highway.[126][127] In 2012, an800-metre (1⁄2-mile) section was reopened as a heritage railway in the City of San Marino, running between Piazzale della Stazione and near Via Napoleone.[122] The restored section comprises the original railway's final horseshoe turn through the 502-metre (1,647-foot) Montale tunnel.[128][129]
Despite its short operational history, the Rimini–San Marino railway retains an important place in Sammarinese culture and history,[127] and has featured on Sammarinese postal stamps.[130][131][132][133] Both the Sammarinese and Italian governments have expressed interest in reopening the line.[122][134][135][136][137]
Between 1921 and 1960, San Marino was also served by a station on theRimini–Novafeltria railway in Torello, on the other side of the international border fromGualdicciolo in San Marino's west.[138] This provided San Marino its first railway station, albeit located in Italian territory.[139][140]
A painting in the Museo di Stato di San Marino byPompeo Batoni
TheThree Towers of San Marino are located on the three peaks ofMonte Titano in the capital. They are depicted on both theflag of San Marino and itscoat of arms. The three towers are:Guaita, the oldest of the three (it was constructed in the 11th century); the 13th-centuryCesta, located on the highest of Monte Titano's summits; and the 14th-centuryMontale, on the smallest of Monte Titano's summits, still privately owned.
TheUniversità degli Studi della Repubblica di San Marino (University of the Republic of San Marino)[141] is the main university, which includes theScuola Superiore di Studi Storici di San Marino (Graduate School of Historical Studies), a distinguished research and advanced international study centre governed by an international Scientific Committee coordinated by the emeritus historianLuciano Canfora. An important music institution is theIstituto Musicale Sammarinese (Sammarinese Musical Institute).[142]
TheAkademio Internacia de la Sciencoj San Marino orAccademia Internazionale delle Scienze San Marino (International Academy of Sciences San Marino) was known for adoptingEsperanto as the language for teaching and for scientific publications.[143] The Akademio was dissolved in 2020.[144]
Italian authorUmberto Eco had attempted to create a "university without physical structures" in San Marino.[145]
TheSan Marino national football team has had little success, being made up of part-timers. The team has never qualified for a major tournament, and has recorded only three wins in the more than 25 years of its history. The first two,1–0 victories overLiechtenstein; the first came in a 2004 friendly, and the second, their first competitive victory, came during the group stage of the2024-25 UEFA Nations League.[146] Their third win, a 3-1 victory against Liechtenstein was their first ever away victory. This carried additional prestige as it secured San Marino's promotion to league C for the 2026-27 UEFA Nations league, the greatest achievement in the team's history. They have drawn four more times, with their most notable result being a 1993 0–0 draw withTurkey during theEuropean qualifiers for the 1994 FIFA World Cup.[147] In the same qualifying competition,Davide Gualtieri scored a goal 8.3 seconds into a match againstEngland; this goal held the record for the fastest in international football until 2016.[148][149] San Marino has a club in the Italian league system calledA.S.D.V. San Marino and a domestic amateur league, theCampionato Sammarinese, whose teams also participate in European club competitions. Together with Italy, San Marino held the2019 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, with teams playing at theStadio Olimpico inSerravalle. With Italy being the sole automatic qualifiers, the Sammarinese team did not participate in the final tournament.
Apiadina, a dish characteristic of the Italian region of Romagna and of San Marino
The cuisine of San Marino is extremely similar to centralItalian cuisine, especially that of the adjoiningEmilia-Romagna andMarche regions, but it has a number of its own unique dishes and products.[152] Its best known is probably theTorta Tre Monti ("Cake of the Three Mountains" or "Cake of the Three Towers"), a wafer layered cake covered in chocolate depicting theThree Towers of San Marino. The country also has a smallwine industry.
The site San Marino: Historic Centre and Mount Titano became part of theUNESCO World Heritage List in 2008.[153] The decision was taken during the 32nd Session of the UNESCOWorld Heritage Committee composed of 21 countries convened in Québec, Canada.
The country has a long and rich musical tradition, closely linked to that of Italy, but which is also highly independent in itself. A well-known 17th-century composer isFrancesco Maria Marini.[154] The pop singerLittle Tony achieved considerable success in the United Kingdom and Italy in the 1950s and 1960s.[155]
TheTeatro Nuovo (Serravalle) is atheatre of the Republic of San Marino located inDogana, a town in theSerravalle municipality ("castello"), not far from the border withItaly. It has a capacity of 872 seats of which 604 are in the stalls and is the largest theatre in the republic.[156][157]
The State Museum has a permanent art collection dedicated to the history and legends of the Republic. Many of these pieces originally came from public and religious buildings in the City of San Marino.[160] Also on display are paintings and objects from the Monastery of Saint Chiara. As well as the permanent collection, the museum also hosts temporary exhibitions such as Mario Ferretti: An Artistic Restlessness of the 20th Century.[161] The main room of the museum displays paintings byGuercino and his pupils,Cesare Gennari andBenedetto Gennari,Matteo Loves andElisabetta Sirani. The works in an adjacent room are dedicated to the two patron saints of the Republic, Saint Marino and Saint Agata. There are also objects, such as urns and plates, that are used by San Marino institutions. Other items on display are panel paintings and sculptures from the 15th and 16th centuries.
The Modern and Contemporary Art Gallery hosts more than 1,000 works dating from the period between the first decade of the 20th century to the present.
^Chiaruzzi, Michele (2023). San Marino. Thomas W. Wilson (ed.),Europe. An Encyclopedia of Culture and Society, vol. 2, London-New York, Bloomsbury Academic, p. 796.
^Histoire abrégée des traités de paix entre les puissances de l'Europe depuis la Paix de Westphalie, Christophe-Guillaume Koch, ed., Paris, 1817, vol. V, p. 19.
^"San Marino (War Damage Claim)".UK Parliament. 7 July 1961.In February, 1952, the Government of San Marino agreed to limit their claim only to compensation for damage caused by the bombing on 26th June, 1944, as they considered—and still consider—that the damage which occurred after the bombardment on 26th June, 1944, was the responsibility of the German Armed Forces.
^"Parco Ausa". Ecomuseo Rimini. Retrieved14 March 2022.Nel corso della metà del secolo scorso "l'Ausa, che si stava trasformando sempre di più in una fogna", è stato deviato e fatto confluire nelle acque del Marecchia per mezzo di sponde cementificate che, dai pressi del casello autostradale di Rimini Sud, costeggiano la collina di Covignano. A partire dagli anni sessanta il vecchio corso che sfociava in mare all'altezza di Piazzale Kennedy, venne tombificato. [During the middle of the last century, "the Ausa, which was increasingly turning into a sewer", was diverted and made to flow into the waters of the Marecchia by means of cemented banks which, near the Rimini Sud motorway exit, skirt the Covignano hill. Starting from the sixties, the old course that flowed into the sea at Piazzale Kennedy was buried.]
^"Bollettino di Statistica III Trimestre 2023" [Statistics Bulletin Third Trimester 2023](PDF).Ufficio Informatica, Tecnologia, Dati e Statistica (in Italian). 2023. p. 9. Retrieved9 February 2023.
^Santini, Simone (1 September 2017)."Rimini-San Marino, ma che Consolare è?" [But what kind of consular road is the Rimini-San Marino?].Il Ponte (in Italian). Retrieved1 January 2024.
^"Taxi".sanmarinopertutti.com (in Italian). Retrieved31 December 2023.
^"Linea 7".Start Romagna SpA (in Italian). Retrieved31 December 2023.
^"Linea 16".Start Romagna SpA (in Italian). Retrieved31 December 2023.
^"Linea 160".Start Romagna SpA (in Italian). Retrieved31 December 2023.
^abcd"Torraccia".forgottenairfields.com. 20 August 2017. Retrieved1 January 2024.
^abcBollini, Marco (5 July 2015)."San Marino avrà un aeroporto?" [Will San Marino have an airport?].giornalesm.com (in Italian). Retrieved1 January 2024.
^abc"Chi Siamo" [Who we are].Aeroclub San Marino (in Italian). Retrieved1 January 2024.
^abcScolari, Giancarlo (21 June 2012)."Torna il treno a San Marino" [The train returns to San Marino].Ferrovie.it (in Italian). Retrieved3 November 2023.
^abGiuliani-Balestrino, Maria Clotilde (2005)."La superstrada Rimini-San Marino" [The Rimini-San Marino railway](PDF).Studi e Ricerche di Geografia (in Italian).29 (1):1–4.
^Vilmos, Oszter (12 August 2012)."Kis ország, kis( )vasút" [Small country, small railway].Indóház Online (in Hungarian). Retrieved5 November 2023.
^Piccioni, Elisabetta (April 2011). "Il Viaggio Interrotto: La Ferrovia Elettrica Rimini–San Marino" [The Interrupted Journey: The Rimini–San Marino Electric Railway].I Martedì (in Italian) (292). Bologna: Centro San Domenico:18–22.
^Giuliani-Balestrino, Maria Clotilde (2005)."La superstrada Rimini-San Marino" [The Rimini-San Marino railway](PDF).Studi e Ricerche di Geografia (in Italian).29 (1):1–4.
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