In brief

San Marino, officially the Most Serene Republic of San Marino, is often abbreviated to the Republic of San Marino. Founded on 3 September 301 A.D., it is one of the world’s oldest republics surviving from a time when city-states spread across Europe.

According to tradition, San Marino was founded by a Christian stonemason named Marinus the Dalmatian, who fled the island of Arbe to escape the anti-Christian Roman Emperor Diocletian. Marinus hid on the peak of Mount Titano and founded a small community of people following their Christian beliefs.

In memory of Marinus the stonemason, the land was renamed “Land of San Marino,” then called the “Community of San Marino,” and was finally changed to its present-day name, “Republic of San Marino.”

Its rugged isolation helped the enclave to develop and keep its independence. The country became a republic in the 1300s. An 1862 friendship and cooperation treaty with Italy, which has since been revised and expanded, reinforced San Marino’s independence.

San Marino has been occupied by foreign militaries twice in its history, both for only short periods of time. In 1503 Cesare Borgia, known as Valentino, occupied the republic until his death several months later. In 1739, Cardinal Alberoni used military force to occupy the country, but civil disobedience was used to protest this, and clandestine notes sent to the Pope to obtain justice were answered by the Pope’s recognition of San Marino’s rights and restoration of independence.

In 1797, although Napoleon invaded Italy, San Marino’s situation was unaffected. Indeed, following the Napoleonic Wars, San Marino’s independence was recognized in 1815 at the Congress of Vienna.

In 1849, San Marino agreed to provide refuge to the famed Italian nationalist Garibaldi in defiance of Austrian forces In 1862, relations with Italy were consolidated by the signing of a customs union as well as a treaty of friendship and cooperation.

Through the war years from 1939 to 1945, San Marino remained neutral although it became home to approximately 100,000 Italian refugees, including around 12,000 Jews.

San Marino has a history of Jewish presence dating back to at least the late 14th century. However, a few are familiar with the role it played in saving Jews, especially during World War II.  The book “La meravigliosa bugia” by D. Bagnaresi-G. Marzi – A. Morri contains documents and stories on Jewish refugees in San Marino during the period of time 1939-1945. We invite you to consult a summary of the book.

For information and appointments please do not hesitate to contact us at  cons.londra@gov.sm