San Marino, San Marino

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San Marino City
Città di San Marino
Official flag of San Marino City
Flag
Coat of arms of San Marino City
Coat of arms
San Marino's location in San Marino
San Marino's location in San Marino
Coordinates: 43°56′N, 12°26′E
Foundation September 3, 301 (traditional date)
Government
 - Capitano Alessandro Barulli (since 2003)
Area
 - castello 7.09 km²  (2.7 sq mi)
Elevation 749 m (2,457.3 ft)
Population (2003)
 - castello 4,493
 - Density 633.71/km² (1,641.3/sq mi)
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 - Summer (DST) CEST (UTC)
Postal code RSM-47890

San Marino is the capital city of the Republic of San Marino on the Italian peninsula, near the Adriatic Sea. The city has a population of 4,493. It is on the western slopes of San Marino's highest point, Monte Titano.

Although the capital, most of the businesses are in Borgo Maggiore. It is the third largest city in the country, after Dogana and Borgo Maggiore. It borders the San Marino municipalities Acquaviva, Borgo Maggiore, Fiorentino, and Chiesanuova and the Italian municipality San Leo.

Akademio Internacia de la Sciencoj San Marino is centered here.

Contents

[edit] History

Due to being the capital and, for a time, the only city in San Marino, the history of this city is almost the same as the History of San Marino. For more information on that topic, see that article.

The city was founded Saint Marinus and several Christian refugees in the year 301. From then on the city became a center of Christian refugees who fled from the Roman persecutions, which caused that the city become the oldest republic of Europe, for the Sanmarinense territory at that time corresponded to the single city of San Marino.

The urban heart of the city was protected by three towers: the first, Guaita, constructed in the 11th century, had intraspasable fame, which to a great extent reduced the attacks to the city.

Due to Crusades, the necessity was seen to construct a second tower, Cesta (13th century). But the Sanmarinense defensive system was not completed until the construction of the one third tower, - the Montale (14th century) - smallest of all and constructed on the last one of summits of the Monte Titano.

With the population of the city increasing, the territory of the country was extendeded few kilometers. Since the Sanmarinense policy is not to invade or use war for the obtaining of new territories, is by means of purchases and of treaties that San Marino manage to obtain the other nine castello on which it counts at the present time.

[edit] Economy

Main article: Economy of San Marino

The economy of the city of San Marino has always been bound to the national industry. Until recently, the main economic activities of the locality were the stone extraction and carving. Today, there is more of an economy thanks to the tourism, commerce, postal seal sale, in addition to a small agricultural industry, although the latter is in decay.

[edit] Tourism

The city, visited by more than three million people in a year, has risen progressively as a great tourist center. Of the tourists, 85% are Italian. In addition there are more than a thousand stores, where it is possible to find great variety of products.

[edit] Points of interest

palazzo publico - the Town Hall
palazzo publico - the Town Hall

Not only does san Marino City offer a breath-taking view but it also offers some famous sights:

[edit] Traffic

This town is known for its long, windy cobblestoned streets, for the San Marino Superhighway doesn't run through here. San Marino is also notable in the sense that cars are prohibited in the town center.

Before the Second World War a railway was built from here to Rimini under the dictatorship of Benito Mussolini. Its tunnels and the railway station Piazzale Lo Stradone, though still exist. Drafts for the reopening of this railroad line were submitted to the government many times, but so far nothing was carried out.

Today, hourly bus trips from here to Rimini are carried out, and a 1.5 km cable car connects the capital with Borgo Maggiore.

[edit] External links

Flag of San Marino Castelli of San Marino Coat of arms of San Marino

Acquaviva | Borgo Maggiore | Chiesanuova | Domagnano | Faetano | Fiorentino | Montegiardino | San Marino (capital) | Serravalle