The castle, San Marino

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“I am a Monarchist in France, but a Republican at San Marino.”
— François-René, Vicomte de Chateaubriand (1768–1848)

The smallest of the towers is the Third Tower, called La Montale; it dates to the end of the 13th century. It has played a strategic role with the best position for a lookout post. This tower stands on the lowest of Monte Titano’s summits. Like its two bigger brothers, this fortress has a pentagonal floor plan; but unlike its two bigger brothers, it is not open to the public. An eight-meter deep prison, called “the bottom of the tower,” is inside. Large rocks surround La Montale, forming a wall-like structure.

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“San Marino does not occupy an important place among nations. Catholic in religion, these republicans have ever resisted the temporal rule of Rome. A famous tenet of Venice was ‘We are Venetians, and then Christians.’ San Marino, in staunch loyalty, must have early adopted a similar creed.”
— from “Two Quaint Republics, Andorra and San Marino” by Virginia Wales Johnson

La Cesta, the Second Tower, was built at the end of the 11th century; it, too, too has a pentagonal footprint. La Cesta was home to the Fortification Guards Division; and it was used as a prison with a few cells. The tower lost it strategic importance around the end of the 16th century, and it fell into disuse.

Following the construction of the Rimini-to-San Marino railroad in 1930, San Marino decided to restore and conserve it medieval monuments in an effort to stimulate tourism.

During our visit a periodic light drizzle did fall from the grey sky; it was too insignificant to deter us.

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“Government founded on republican principles is capable of being so administered as to be secure and enduring.”
— from the 1861 letter written by President Abraham Lincoln to the government of San Marino after he was granted honorary citizenship

CITIZEN ABE Lincoln signed his letter, ‘your friend.’

La Cesta, the Second Tower, stands on De La Fratta, the highest peak of Mount Titano, 2,477 feet above sea level. This point has served as a lookout since ancient Rome ruled the area. For San Marino, the tower was first mentioned in a 1253 document. La Cesta is halfway between the First Tower and the third.

This tower houses a museum of armor; the collection was acquired by the State between 1956 and 1972. The four-room exhibition traces the development of sidearms and firearms.

Just as we took photos of Tower One from the position of Tower Two; the distance shots of Tower Two were taken from Tower One. Look at that sheer cliff under La Cesta !

The folks in San Marino may have sights that are hundreds of years old but they use 21st-century technology to their advantage. A plastic entry card with a magnetic stripe kept track of our visits to the First Tower and to the Second Tower.

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“Upon my word we really must preserve it as a republican specimen.”
— Napoleon I (1769-1821)

PRESERVATIONIST After Napoleon became emperor and the map of Italy was being considered, Ferdinando Marescalchi, the Italian Foreign Affairs Minister, asked him what was to be done with San Marino; the above quote was the Little Corporal’s response. Under Napoleon’s rule the Kingdom of Italy signed a treaty of friendship and commerce with the Republic of San Marino on 10.June.1802.

La Guaita is the first and oldest of the three towers/castles. It was built in the 11th century and sheltered early inhabitants of Mount Titano. The tower served as a watch post and as a prison as recently as 1970. It is one of the oldest surviving fortifications on the Italian peninsula. Since 1930 la Guaita has been opened to the public. Most of these photos were taken from distance of la Cesta, the Second Tower.

It is possible to see the feather-like flag at the top of the tower in photo #3.

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“San Marino in this same year, 1347, breathed the pure air of the hills in a spirit of contentment, and was assailed by the most formidable foreign invader that has ever appeared in Europe. The plague landed from Genoese galleys, and appeared in Tuscany, Provence, and the Romagna. Checked by the cold of winter, the malady burst forth with increased violence in the spring.”
— from “Two Quaint Republics, Andorra and San Marino” 1913 by Virginia Wales Johnson (1849-1916)

La Guaita, the First Tower, is built directly on the mountain’s granite rock without a foundation. Its 10th-century base is pentagonal in shape and has been reinforced many times over the centuries. Its present form dates from the second half of the 15th century; the gabled roof was added in the 16th century.

First fort built in the XI century and restored several times. Some of the rooms were used as a prison. To the left of the entrance is the Chapel of the Rocca, dedicated to Saint Barbara.
It's certainly worth a visit!!
To enter, you have to pay an admission ticket.

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The Museum displays part of the rich armoury collection acquired by the State between 1956 and 1972.

The exhibition route consists of four rooms and shows the development of “sidearms” and “firearms” with exhibits of great historical value ranging from armours, bills and halberds, wheel-lock, flintlock and fuse firearms to the experimental weapons of the 1800s transition and the breech-loading arms of the late 19th century.

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The Second Tower or Cesta stands on the highest point of Mount Titano, 755 meters above sea level. It is situated halfway along a panoramic path from which an impressive and breathtaking landscape can be admired and which, on top of the mountain, connects the three ancient towers of San Marino.

Although restored many times over the years, the donjon, with its pentagonal base, still preserves the characteristics of the medieval towers with embrasures and loopholes.

No longer in use since the 17th century, the fortalice underwent a significant and radical restructuring in 1924-25, which halted its degradation and restored the original aspect.

In 1956 the Tower became the seat of the Museum of Ancient Arms, where 700 exhibits of all types of ancient armours and weapons are now displayed.