The Statue of Liberty of San Marino

The Republic of San Marino also boasts “A Statue of Liberty”! Lady Liberty, the namesake New York statue whose construction began in 1875 and was inaugurated in 1886, is a contemporary of San Marino’s Statue of Liberty, carved in the finest white Carrara marble in 1876.

Creation and Noble Gift

The Statue of Liberty of San Marino is a gift received by the state from a German noblewoman, Ms. Otilia Heyroth Wagener, who became the Duchess of Rancidello. The noblewoman commissioned one of the most esteemed sculptors on the international scene, Stefano Galletti, and ordered the work to be created using the prestigious Italian Carrara marble as the raw material.

On September 30, 1876, just a few months after commissioning the sculptor, the Statue of Liberty was solemnly inaugurated in front of the Public Palace and gave its name to the square below: Liberty Square. The San Marino government, in response to such a noble and welcome gesture, allowed the duchess to change her noble title from Duchess of Rancidello to Duchess of Acquaviva, one of the nine castles of the Republic of San Marino.

Location of San Marino’s Statue of Liberty

At the center of what tourists and San Marino citizens consider the “most beautiful square in San Marino” namely, Liberty Square, above the ancient water cisterns and an imposing four-spout fountain, stands the pristine Statue of Liberty of San Marino! The statue, besides being at the center of the square, is also equidistant from the Parva Domus and the Public Palace, which was also inaugurated on September 30th but thirty years later!

Symbolic Features and Historical Significance

The statue represents liberty as a warrior woman advancing proudly toward the future, with her right hand extended forward, while holding the flag in her left hand. Around her head is carved a crown resembling city walls from which rise the three towers, San Marino’s symbol through the centuries. A scale reproduction can be viewed up close inside the State Museum of the Republic of San Marino.

San Marino politician and historian Marino Fattori dedicated these words during the statue’s inauguration: “The statue is a mute stone, a simple emblem. The cult of liberty must be alive in our hearts. The monument that is the honor and glory of San Marino’s people would become a dishonor and mockery if the people were to lose their good customs and virtues.”

A numismatic curiosity: the Statue of Liberty is featured on the 2-cent Euro coins of the Republic of San Marino.

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