San Marino Town

San Marino Town

City of San Marino is a capital of San Marino. It lies high on the western slopes of Mount Titano, near the center of the country. Together, the mountain and the historic center of the city were declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2008. Tradition has it that the country of San Marino was founded in the early 4th century AD by Saint Marinus, an early Christian who fled religious persecution in the nearby town of Rimini. Shortly after his arrival, the city of San Marino was founded. In the Middle Ages, a network of stone walls was built to enclose much of the city, and the three peaks of Mount Titano were crowned by a trio of formidable fortifications, the Guaita, the Cesta and the Montale. The city's strong fortifications made it a prominent player in the battles between the Guelf and Ghibelline factions in the Middle Ages. The church of San Francesco, now a museum, was built during this rivalry and is one of the city's most important historical monuments. Even though the influence of the Montefeltros ended in the early 16th century, San Marino maintained its status as an independent city-state. Over the following centuries, the city survived the ambitions of the Borgias, the imperial dreams of Napoleon and a short occupation by the German army during World War II. The seat of the country's government, the Palazzo Pubblico, was built at the end of the 19th century. The State Museum of San Marino houses a collection of fine art and antiquities, while the national library houses a wide collection of modern books and periodicals, along with rare documents and manuscripts.