The Basilica of San Marino
Rising majestically at the highest point of Mount Titan, where the sky seems to touch the earth, stands the Basilica of San Marino, the spiritual heart of the world’s oldest republic. Like a beacon guiding travelers, its eight Corinthian columns welcome faithful and visitors alike, silent witnesses to a history that spans centuries.
From Ancient Stones to Neoclassical Grandeur
Where today we admire the elegant neoclassical façade, once stood the ancient Parish Church, one of Italy’s earliest pre-Romanesque monuments. In 1826, under the wise guidance of Bolognese architect Antonio Serra, construction of the current Basilica began, inaugurated in 1838 amid the emotion of the Sammarinese people. A century later, in 1926, the church received the prestigious title of Minor Basilica, crowning centuries of devotion and history.
A Treasury of Art and Spirituality
The neoclassical style manifests in all its purity in the pronaos, where eight majestic Corinthian columns, crowned with finely decorated capitals featuring acanthus leaves, seem to support the sky itself. On the pediment, the words “Divo Marino Patrono et Lebertatis Auctori sen. p.q.” remind all of the unbreakable bond between the founding Saint and the Republic’s freedom.
The Sacred Heart of the Republic
Crossing the threshold, visitors are welcomed into a solemn space divided into three naves, where the central one rises majestically, housing seven altars of rare beauty. A unique element of particular historical interest is the 17th-century throne platform, reserved for the Captains Regent, a living symbol of Sammarinese institutional continuity.
The Relics of the Founding Saint
March 3, 1586, marked an unforgettable date for San Marino: the discovery of the Saint’s relics. Today, these precious remains rest beneath the main altar and in an elegant silver ossuary that reproduces Marinus’s skull and face, tangible testimony to the founder’s spiritual presence in his Republic.
The Church of Saint Peter: A Hidden Treasure
Next to the Basilica, almost hidden from view, lies the evocative Church of Saint Peter, dating back to the 16th century. Inside, two niches carved into the living rock are traditionally indicated as the resting places of Saints Marinus and Leo, adding an aura of mystery and sacredness to this already special place.
Curiosities and Details That Tell a Story
The Basilica’s bell tower houses seven bells, each with its own voice and specific task: from solemn festivities to moments of mourning, each toll tells a different story. The Basilica itself has become such an important symbol that it is depicted on San Marino’s 10-cent euro coin, although this coin remains a collector’s piece, present only in divisional series.
The Sammarinese stonemasons, heirs to the Saint founder’s art, have left their indelible mark in the magnificent reliefs decorating the building: the Torch, the republican fasces, and the laurel branches testify to their mastery.
Practical Information for Visitors
The Basilica welcomes the faithful for Sunday Mass at 11:00 AM, but the most solemn moments are experienced during the celebrations of September 3rd (Feast of Saint Marinus), February 5th (Saint Agatha), and on the days of the Captains Regent’s installation (April 1st and October 1st).
For those wishing to visit, the Basilica is located at Piazzale Domus Plebis, 1 in San Marino City, in the heart of the historic center, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
