San Marino
San Marino and Mount Titano
San Marino Historic Centre and Mount Titano are a testimony to the continuity of an independent city-state since the 13th century.
San Marino is the last remaining of 200 city-states that existed in medieval Italy. The urban landscape is located at a strategic position on top of Mount Titano in the Apennines. The designated area includes Mount Titano and its slopes, San Marino historic centre, with public buildings and institutions of the city-state, 3 defence towers: Guaita, Cesta and Montale, and the market town of Borgo Maggiore.
Community Perspective: the place sees millions of visitors yearly and is really touristy every season. Go there if you’re fascinated with microstates like Jay, or on a snowy winter day like Frederik. All its monuments are well-described in the WH nomination file.
Site Info
Official Information
- Full Name
- San Marino Historic Centre and Mount Titano (ID: 1245)
- Country
- San Marino
- Status
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Inscribed 2008
Site history
History of San Marino and Mount Titano
- WHS Type
- Cultural
- Criteria
- iii
Links
- UNESCO
- whc.unesco.org
All Links
UNESCO.org
- whc.unesco.org — whc.unesco.org/
Related Resources
- sanmarinosite.com — Republic of San Marino
- en.wikipedia.org — History of San Marino Republic
Community Information
- Community Category
- Urban landscape: Post-medieval European
Travel Information
Undergoing Restoration or Repair
Recent Connections
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Gesamtkunstwerk
The Romantic "reconstruction program i… -
Named after a Mountain
Monte Titano ("Mount Titan") is a mount… -
Undergoing Restoration or Repair
The second tower is closed for restorat…
Connections of San Marino and Mount Titano
- Individual People
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Mapped or Illustrated by Blaeu
"The fame of San Marino (...) was disseminated by means of an extraordinary double view of Mount Titano (from Rimini and from the Apennines) by the brothers Giovanni and Cornelio Blaeu in the work "Theatrum Civitatum et admirandorum Italiae, ad aevi veteris et praesentis temporibus faciem"." (Nomination file, p. 72, illustration at p. 54) -
Garibaldi
1849. During the 1st Italian War of Independence and fleeing the Franch, Austrian, Spanish and Neopolitan armies he took refuge in San Marino whilst attempting to reach Venice. He was initially refused permission to pass through but turned up anyway with 1500 men when surrounded by Austrian armies. Went to Public Palace to present his request which was granted by the Regent. Initially staying in the Convent of the Friars Minor Capuchin he later escaped to Venice with 150 of his army.
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- Geography
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Territorial Highest points
Mte Titano 739m/2425ft (alternatively given as 755m in Wiki) -
Located in a Capital City
San Marino (capital of San Marino) -
Located in a microstate
San Marino (61km2 / 29,615 inhabitants)
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- Trivia
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Depicted on National Coat of Arms
San Marino, Three Towers -
Depicted on National Flag
"the First Tower ("Rocca") representing, together with the Second Tower ("Cesta") and the Third Tower ("Montale"), the symbolic image of San Marino, which appears even in the Country flag" (Nomination file, p. 24) -
On Euro coins
Various parts on Sammarinese 1, 2, 5, 10, 50 Cent and 2 Euro
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- History
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Contains significant structures from the 20th Century
The Casa Piccola del Comune or Parva Domus (1929), Tribunal (1920) (Nomination file, p. 37-38)
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- Architecture
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Gesamtkunstwerk
The Romantic "reconstruction program included the whole capital, making the entire city a "Gesamtkunstwerk", where every single detail was studied with care, showing in its stones the history of an independent Republic." (Nomination file, p. 23) -
Carrara marble
The Statua della Libertà on Piazza della Libertà is made of white Carrara marble.See en.wikipedia.org
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Gothic Revival
"At the end of the 1800s, the old Palazzo Pubblico was almost completely demolished in order to build the new neo-gothic building designed by the Roman architect Francesco Azzurri". (Nomination file, p. 34) -
Neoclassical architecture
"The inscribed city centre includes fortification towers, walls, gates and bastions, as well as a neo-classical basilica of the 19th century, (...)" (Official description) -
Octagons
First Tower, "Rocca or Guaita". (...) the First Tower has two defensive walls with merlons and corner towers and has an octagonal plan." (Nomination file, p. 26)
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- World Heritage Process
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Only WHS in their country
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Slow Starters
1991-2008 : 17 years -
OUV provided by Reconstructions
"the medieval historic centre was not subject to major interventions until the Romantic Movement reconstruction works from the end of the 19th century. The comprehensive restorations form a part of the history of the Historic Centre of San Marino. According to the State Party, Gino Zani’s interventions in the 20th century has allowed the entire city became a sort of Gesamtkunstwerk, where every single detail was studied with care, showing in its stones the history of the independent Republic. This palimpsest reflects the medieval revival conservation philosophy in Europe at the time" (AB Eval) -
2 or more nominated criteria rejected by AB
Rejected 4,6. Accepted: 3 -
Inscribed on a single criterion only
iii. to bear a unique or at least exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilization which is living or which has disappeared -
First inscriptions
San Marino 2008
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- Religion and Belief
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Franciscan Order
"Chiesa and Convento di San Francesco (Saint Francis' Church and Convent) - Both the church and the convent were built in 1361 by the Conventual Minors." (Nomination file, p. 30) -
Nunneries
Chiesa di Santa Chiara and Convento delle Clarisse (Nomination file, p. 30) -
Legends and Folk Myths
"According to legend, San Marino was founded in 301 AD when a Christian stonemason Marinus (...), later venerated as Saint Marinus, emigrated in 297 AD from the Dalmatian island of Rab (...); shortly after, he was "recognised" and accused by an insane woman of being her estranged husband, whereupon he quickly fled to Monte Titano to build a chapel and monastery and live as a hermit. Later, the State of San Marino would bud from the centre created by this monastery."See en.wikipedia.org
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Religious Relics
The Basilica di San Marino houses the relics of Saint Marinus, the founder and patron of the Republic.See en.wikipedia.org
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- Human Activity
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Grand Tour
"(...) it comes as no surprise that in the 17th century some illustrious travellers on the "Grand Tour" left the well-beaten tracks, those including the major cities of art and history, to wind their way up the Titano in order to verify the situation for themselves and touch this utopia with their own hands." (Nomination file, p. 72) -
Changing of the Guard ceremonies
Ceremony performed daily every half hour from 14:30 in summer months in front of the Palazzo Pubblico.
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- Constructions
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Walled cities
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Suspended cable cars
There's a cable car from Borgo Maggiore to the historical city centre of San Marino / 1959 / 338m, 2 minsSee en.wikipedia.org
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Theatres and Opera Houses
18th century Titano Theatre -
Prison
"The barracks [in the First Tower] were originally a refuge and subsequently became first the seat of the guards and then a prison and also a residence. (Nomination file, p. 87) "The Guaita is the oldest of the three towers, and the most famous. It was constructed in the 11th century and served briefly as a prison."See en.wikipedia.org
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Clock Tower
Palazzo Pubblico (Nomination file, p. 35)See en.wikipedia.org
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Sites of Parliament
Consiglio Grande e Generale, Parliament of San Marino -
Tunnels
The tunnel of the defunct railway -
Thrones
The Throne of the Captains-Regent inside the basilicaSee en.wikipedia.org
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Hospitals
Ospedale di Stato (State Hospital): "It has been used as a Public Hospital until 1980, when it was restored as a high school." (Nomination file, p. 38)
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- Timeline
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Built in the 13th century
Criterion iii: "uninterrupted continuity as the capital of an independent republic since the 13th century"
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- WHS Hotspots
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Emilia-Romagna and Marche Hotspot
2h30 by train and bus (130km)
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- Visiting conditions
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Undergoing Restoration or Repair
The second tower is closed for restoration work since November 2021 (and was still closed in July 2023).
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- WHS Names
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Named after a Mountain
Monte Titano ("Mount Titan") is a mountain of the Apennines and the highest point in the country of San Marino. It stands 739 m (2,425 ft) asl (Wiki) -
Named after a local Christian saint
ccording to a legend, the first community was founded by Saint Marino, "who had reached this place from his birthplace in Dalmatia and had subsequently chosen to live here as an hermit." (Nomination file, p. 49)
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News
No news.
Recent Visitors
Reserved for members.Community Reviews
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Despite warning on the “Beast from the East” in the news, after a lucky day in Urbino, I decided to take a gamble to visit nearby another World Heritage Site, the small Republic of San Marino. After I left Urbino, it was snowing heavily for the whole evening, fortunately I reached my hotel in San Marino safe and sound after 4 hours for short distance in such severe weather. I only hoped that the snow will stop tomorrow morning. It was snowing for whole night and still continued for the next day. I waited and waited until snow seem to be OK to walk outside. The whole country was under the snow and seem to be shut down as nobody on the streets and all the shops were closed, only government office still opened.
I walked alone in the “winter wonderland” of snow and ice capital of San Marino. Many roads and pathway were full with snow. I tried to walk to the famous Mount Titano and San Marino’s well known towers, despite the sites were opened, the pathways to reach those attractions were almost inaccessible unless you were equipped with ski gear! The snow was so high that it reached my knees! I walked to tourism center to get the cheeky 5 Euro souvenir visa stamp on my passport, saw Basilica and the tiny parliament. After twice slipped and fell from the snow, I decided to stop and carefully walked back to the hotel. To be honest I was …
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Given my fascination with European microstates when I was growing up, it was inevitable I would one day visit San Marino, whether or not it was a World Heritage Site. This mountainous enclave surrounded by Italy prides itself on being the world's oldest constitutional republic, and nowadays thrives on tourism. I counted myself as one of the tourists in May 2013, when I took a day trip from Venice to finally see the republic. The bus ride from Rimini dropped us off at the lower gates to the city of San Marino, near the top of Mount Titano. After walking up the streets through the city I came to the Palazzo Publico, the central square with the Government Building and the post office selling both postage stamps and passport stamps. I enjoyed the views from the city walls, but the highlight of my time in San Marino was the walk to the towers on each of the three peaks of Mount Titano. The views from those towers were spectacular, and I appreciated the museum in the tower on Cesta, which showcased San Marino's history with the crossbow. San Marino was everything I'd hoped it would be, and it was an unforgettable stop during my European travels in 2013.
Logistics: There are regular buses to San Marino from the Rimini Train Station in Italy, but the country and city can also be reached by automobile. A cable car connects the Sammarinese town of Borgo Maggiore at the base of Mount Titano …
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This is a precious fairy tale looking little town, up on a mountain, walled in, with fantastic views from a few of the pricey cafes on top of the mount or free by walking along the tiny winding cobblestones streets or the hiking path connecting the towers along the top. Near the entrance through the impressive gate, we enjoyed the Torture Museum, on 3 levels with lots of ghoulish instruments and stories of torture. Besides getting a passport stamp for several euros near the first tower, we enjoyed seeing the independence of the republic played out by the fully stocked gun shops in town. Not a typical sight in Europe, but comforting to Americans who realize Hitlers first major act was to disarm his citizens, and the freedom to bear arms was key to us winning independence from Britain as well as our newly freed slaves protecting themselves from KKK types in the late 1800s and early 1900s in the USA. Overall, we found San Marino to be a delightful stop on our exploration of Italy, and I found some lovely handmade scarves there!
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I visited this WHS in March 2012. On Mount Titano there are 3 beautiful towers while the historic centre of San Marino is home to the Palazzo Pubblico which is a gem in its own right.
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There are no railways in San Marino, but there is a frequent bus service from in front of Rimini's train station to the Porta San Francesco. I travelled in the company of a bus full of Russians all intent on shopping for tax free designer label goods in the tiny Republic. I too wonder where the OUV is here.
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This site was a pleasant surprise. I didn't expect much more than a tacky collection of souvenir shops - which is what I got, but travellers to this tiny republic will also enjoy great panoramic views over the surrounding mountains, 3 impressive medieval castles, and a scenic old town with a collection of nice buildings. It may not be the best WH site in the world, but I have seen far worse. Its historic features, combined with its traditions of democracy, republican government, and independence stretching back many centuries, make it in my opinion a worthwhile World Heritage Site.
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We had already been to San Marino three times before, but we decided to return there this year in December because the previous times I was too young to remember well the town but also because we realized that strangely we had always limited our visit to a small portion of it, the most well known one. Before getting to San Marino remember that you may find a really strange climate or at least, as far as I can remember, we have always found it: a rainy weather, sometimes accompanied by strong wind, sometimes by fog, which doesn’t allow you to see farther than fifty metres, sometimes all that together. While planning your visit notice that the best existing “tourist guide” of San Marino is probably the WH nomination file: all the monuments are well described there so just take the information from there. Then remember also that it is really touristy at every season, with the streets full of people getting there almost always for shopping (and there are thousands of shops with lower prices and taxes), as it is demonstrated by the fact that you won’t find anyone in the remotest streets without shops, arguably even nicer than the main ones. If you go there by car, you will probably arrive from Rimini on a two lane road, from which you will get a beautiful view on the entire Mount Titano (naturally if it isn’t covered entirely by fog) with its characteristic profile with three peaks each crowned …
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Although San Marino welcomes 2 to 3 million visitors a year, I am the first one on this website to give my review. Where do all these millions come from, one wonders? Probably they were on a day trip from the nearby seaside resort of Rimini. My visit was on a weekday in February and there surely weren't many people around at that time.
I started my visit with a hike along the ridge of Mount Titano. This path, starting from parking lot P3, takes about one hour and passes all three towers that San Marino is famous for. A fine but steep walk. There even still was some snow on the ground!
I went to the interior of the middle of the three towers, Castello della Cesta. It has a weaponry museum (as castles all over the world so often have). The views however from the top of the castle are splendid: on San Marino town and on the surrounding snow-covered Apennine Mountains.
The track ends at one of the city gates of the historical centre of San Marino. The centre is full of souvenir stalls and restaurants. It has a distinctive layout, with all streets running east-west above each other. I walked around for a bit and rested awhile at San Marino City's major landmark, the Palazzo Publico.
That's about all there is to see here, in this very debatable WHS. ICOMOS praises its link between tangible and intangible heritage (freedom, representative democracy, republican …
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