San Marino

HISTORY

The traditional legend surrounding the founding of San Marino, portrays Saint Marinus as a Christian stonemason who fled religious persecution, founded a monastic community on Mount Titano in what is now San Marino, and eventually saw it develop into a republic. According to this legend, the republic declared its independence from the Roman Empire, on September 3, 301.

San Marino's written constitution was adopted on October 8, 1600. The Leges Statutae Republicae Sancti Marini is a series of six books written in Latin in the late 16th century, that dictate San Marino's political system, among other matters. It is considered to be the earliest written constitution still in effect of any country in the world.

The San Marino constitution of 1600

In 1861, the government of San Marino wrote a letter to Abraham Lincoln proposing an alliance and offering the American president honorary San Marino citizenship. Lincoln accepted the offer.

San Marino remained neutral in both the First and Second World Wars.

During World War II, Britain dropped 243 bombs on the neutral republic of San Marino, in the belief that it had been overrun by the Germans.

FUN SAN MARINO FACTS

San Marino is the world's oldest republic and extant sovereign state still in existence.

Its size is just over 61 km2 (24 sq mi) making San Marino the third smallest country in Europe, Only Vatican City and Monaco are smaller.

San Marino is one of three countries completely surrounded by one other country. The other two are Lesotho and Vatican City.

The country is covered by the Apennine mountain range, and it has a rugged terrain. San Marino has no natural level ground.

The highest point in the country is Monte Titano.

Mount Titano by Nickel Chromo 

San Marino has competed in 12 summer and seven winter Olympics but never won a medal.

Alessandra Perilli came closest to winning San Marino's first ever Olympic medal in the Women's Trap final at London 2012, finishing in a three-way tie for second place, but was the first to miss in the shoot-off meaning she finished fourth.

In 2004, San Marino beat Liechtenstein 1-0 for its first international football win.

Source Daily Express