"Medeval Republic of San Marino" a San Marino Travel Page by PetraG

The Most Serene Republic of San Marino or San Marino (Italian: Serenissima Repubblica di San Marino or San Marino) is one of the smallest nations in the world. Located in southern Europe, it is an enclave of Italy, and is one of the European microstates. San Marino is often claimed to be the oldest republic in the world. It was founded in A.D. 301 by Marinus from Rab, a Christian stonemason fleeing the religious persecution of Roman Emperor Diocletian.

Facts:
Capital: San Marino
Largest city: Serravalle
Official language: Italian
Population: 28.117
Currency: Euro (€) (EUR)
Internet TLD: .sm
Calling code: +378 (0549 from Italy)

San Marino is divided into the following nine municipalities, known locally as castelli or castles (sing. castello, each on a different hill, as depicted on the republic's coat of arms), that are also towns.

The City of San Marino (Città di San Marino) is the eponymous capital. There are also eight minor municipalities:
Acquaviva
Borgo Maggiore
Chiesanuova
Domagnano
Faetano
Fiorentino
Montegiardino
Serravalle

In fact each castello, like Italian comuni, includes a main town that is the seat of the castello, called capoluogo, and some even smaller localities known as frazioni.

San Marino is an enclave in Italy, on the border between the regioni of Emilia-Romagna and Marche. Its topography is dominated by the Apennines mountain range, and it has a rugged terrain. The highest point in the country, Monte Titano, is situated at 749 metres (2,457 ft) above sea level. There are no bodies of water of any significant size.

The climate is Mediterranean, with warm summers and mild winters.

San Marino is the third-smallest country in Europe, with only Vatican City and Monaco being smaller.

San Marino has survived, completely intact, attacks by other self-governing Italian city-states, the Napoleonic Wars, the unification of Italy, and two world wars.

Giuseppe Garibaldi was unifying Italy in the 1860s and took refuge from his enemies in San Marino. Garibaldi secured the friendship of a Captain Regent who agreed to assist provided that Garibaldi did what he could to prevent San Marino from getting into armed conflict. So Garibaldi disbanded his forces and then slipped through the blockade imposed by 12,000 Austrian soldiers to escape from San Marino with 150 men.

There he acquired aid and money and supplies to continue his campaign for unification from San Marino's citizens and leaders. In return, Garibaldi guaranteed that San Marino would always be an independent sovereign state.

Years later, Garibaldi finally achieved the unification and independence of Italy, and was most thankful for San Marino help in those tough years. And so San Marino the political anomaly retained its independence while the other large and small republics, duchies and kingdoms on the Italian peninsula were all merged into the newly formed Kingdom of Italy