San Marino

We visited our fourth country of this trip today, the postage-stamp country in central Italy and "world's oldest republic" called San Marino. I guess we visited on a whim--I remember learning about San Marino while playing Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego on a green-screen Apple IIe when I was in 6th grade and always thought that it sounded like an interesting place. Luke had done a very small research project on it earlier this year, so it was definitely on our radar, but until a couple of days ago we were not sure that we'd actually visit. Things came together and we drove there today, and were very glad we did.

Becca and the kids on the mountain-top.

First, a bit of history. In Roman times, a stonemason named Marinus fled Diocletian-era persecution in his native island (near modern Croatia) and went to work in the Roman-era city of Rimini in Italy. He seems to have had a rather eventful time of it--at one point an "insane" woman showed up on a boat, claiming that he was her estranged husband, and Marinus had to "cleanse" her of the demons possessing her.

Eventually he found his way to Monte Titano, a large stone outcropping nearby, and became a hermit. The mountain was owned by someone who objected to trespassers, but upon confronting ol' Marinus he was struck with a terrible paralyzing affliction; Marinus suggested that he and his wife convert to Christianity, and that he'd bury them nearby if they died; when they agreed, the man's affliction was miraculously cured, and in return he "gave" the mountain to Marinus. Over time, other outcasts joined him on the mountain.

Somewhere down the line, Marinus was sainted and became known as San Marino, and the city and eventually the country derived their names from him.

The modern country is comprised of the mountain and a couple of miles of surrounding plains. On the mountain itself is the old city, while the plains are made up of suburban-type houses and apartments along with a large outlet mall.

We drove up to the base of the mountain and found a parking space, then took the cable car to the top. The setting is spectacular, with views far out into the Adriatic and inland for many tens of miles. The city is clean and well-kept, caters to tourists and shoppers, and has a number of interesting museums and exhibits. Unfortunately, the weather did not really cooperate and it was cold and windy during the five hours we stayed on the mountain.

Top of the mountain, with the cable car terminal behind the flag.

Kids relaxing on the mountain, with the lower city and Adriatic in the background.

The country maintained its independence through the middle ages and the Napoleonic era by staying small, employing some adept diplomacy, and by providing shelter to Garibaldi during a difficult period in the unification era--in gratitude, he left the place alone later. Napoleon had called it a "model of freedom," because it was a republic (of sorts). Popes and Borgias and others tried to take it over, but never applied the required energy or assets to actually take over the mountain.

Becca in front of the statue of Liberty and the Palazzo Pubblico.

We wandered a bit, sent a couple of postcards, visited the old defensive towers scattered along the cliff face, visited a museum, ate lunch, and went back down the mountain, delighted with the day's activity.