San Marino: ancient land of liberty
Italy is incredibly unique in that there are two small political entities within its borders. Most travellers are aware that Vatican City, surrounded by Rome, is its own country. Less known is San Marino, unbelievably not until my third trip to Southern Europe, did I become aware it.
The Republic of San Marino, occupying 24 square miles, is a mountainous micro-state on the northeastern side of the Apennine Mountains, within 30 minutes of the coastal Italian town of Rimini.
San Marino derives its name from Marinas, a Christian stonemason born in Croatia in 275 A.D. While working in the region as a young man, his occasional preaching drew fire from the pagan Roman authorities. He was forced to flee and sought refuge on a mountainside. While in hiding, he formed a chapel and eventually built a monastery. He declared it independent in 301 A.D. and to this day it is recognized as the oldest sovereign state in the world. San Marino created a constitution in 1600, which remains the oldest one in effect, and the only one written in Latin that still has the force of law. Additionally, San Marino is the sole surviving medieval commune of the patchwork of independent states unified in the 19th century.
