10 Interesting Facts About San Marino

10 Interesting Facts About San Marino

1. Located near the northeast coast of Italy near the Apennine Mountains, San Marino is about 61 sq km, 24 sq mi, and has about 33,000 people.

2. San Marino is believed to have been founded and became independent in 301 AD by Saint Marinus of Arba, escaping Christian persecution to build a church in Monte Titano, later becoming San Marino.  It’s claimed that San Marino is the oldest surviving sovereign state worldwide.

3. The main languages used are Italian and Romagnol.

4. The capital is the City of San Marino while the largest city or town is Dogana.

5. San Marino is made up of nine municipalities including the City of San Marino, Acquaviva, Borgo Maggiore, Chiesanuova, Domagnano, Faetano, Fiorentino, Montegiardino, and Serravalle.

6. The highest point is Monte Titano at 749 metres or 2,457 feet, and is about 10 km or 6 mi from the Adriatic coast.  There are no bodies of water and it’s generally a hilly landcape.

7. The currency used is the Euro, EUR and the economy is mostly from banking, electronics, ceramics, and agriculture such as wine and cheese.

8. You can get around San Marino by car, taxi, and aerial tramway cars that connect the City of San Marino and the top of Monte Titano.

9. There are about 2 million people that visit San Marino every year, attractions include some historical sites such as the Three Towers of San Marino or the medieval Palazzo Pubblico, but is mostly visited as a day or weekend trip from people vacationing in the Romagna Riviera.

10. The three towers of San Marino include Guaita, Cesta and Montale.  This is also displayed with a chocolate cake called Torta Tre Monti, or “Cake of the Three Mountains”.