San Marino - 1000 years of independence, and surrender to the Russian tourists

The average inhabitant of the Earth is almost knows nothing about San Marino, but that is no reason to disregard the smallest and oldest of the existing state of our planet. And do not think that the main raison d'être of this country to the Russian team was the one to beat in football - everything is much deeper and more interesting.

To briefly characterize San Marino, imagine seething mixture of Monaco and Malta.

Like Monaco, the state of San Marino lives in a vertical system of coordinates, taking small but proud area of ​​60 square kilometers around the limestone of Monte Titano, which in turn bristling among the plains in the central part of Italy, twenty kilometers from the Apennines to the north and the Adriatic sea to the east.

It is said that from the highest point of Mount Titian (700 meters), you can see up to a quarter of the whole territory of Italy:

Like Monaco, San Marino thrives on low taxes on their territories for the foreign companies and the rigid statutes in the constitution, preventing the growth of the state's population at the expense of the general naturalization of foreign citizens. In short, can fight Chuck Norris easier than getting a citizenship of San Marino.

Malta San Marino unites thousand-year war for independence from the date of its foundation, to turn the republic into a fortress:

In general, the history of states such as San Marino and Malta makes me think about their "chosen". By analogy with the Jewish and Armenian peoples who for centuries stood at the edge of extinction disaster, but nevertheless mysterious way to prove their right to life. While far more powerful nations: the Kurds, Assyrians, Aztecs and other vanished into history. And San Marino - a piece of territory, surrounded on all sides by the aggressive Italian states, their influential families greedy, cruel inquisition Dad, ages and blood PATH thing knocked his freedom, showing thus today the oldest of the existing state.

The last one who could put an end to the history of San Marino, was Napoleon Bonaparte. Having conquered Italy, he took a special respect to San Marino, the Republic sent their ambassadors with respect and uvazhuha. Friended shorter.

And the truth is, borrow a mountain in the siege, studded walls with loopholes and howitzers, - it is silly. Well, that redistribution of European territories is ended before the ballistic weapons, and even the walls would not help ...

According to legend, the name of the Republic gave a guest worker Marino, who came to Italy as part of teams masons from Croatia (Dalmatia) for the construction of the port of Rimini. Marino was a Christian, during the Roman Empire was not very kosher phenomenon. Fleeing from predyav Gentiles, Marino took refuge on the mountain Monte Titano. To get him stretched many brothers in faith. Marino and founded the first Christian community in Italy. Soon, Christianity was established in the Roman Empire and became an honor to be called Marino San Sanych, ranked him the saints. And there was the name of San Marino.

However, in the bus on the way to San Marino I heard an alternative, not less interesting version of the country name. Behind me rode a couple: thin-legged brunette in a steep track suit. And in the same suit she went to her forehead with a burly calf. And it came to have such a dialogue: - Zai - coquettishly tricked his strongly painted lipstick duckling brunette, pointing to the mountain - and from there we will sail on a yacht?

- You Th, Simohina, the same mountain where I'll arrange a yacht?

- A Th then called San Marina? If Marina (Marina also called for yachts), hence the yacht palyubasiku available. Not?

- No, well, so that you Simohina, right - moos "calf". - We will arrive, type tour operator, let us organize a boat there.

Whether found in the end trump sportivkah patsanchik in San Marino yacht, it remained unknown to me, but another version of the etymology of the name of San Marino can be quite count.

Defensive redoubts of San Marino start at tens of kilometers to the border. In the sense that the state is not very easy to get there. There is no railway, not drive uphill on a private car. In San Marino, a shuttle bus from Rimini.

When we arrived in Rimini, you will not see any indicator of the bus parking. Only wife eagle eye could see my grandmother for a pull-out desk that trades some tickets. Approached, it turned out here selling tickets for the bus. Immediately surfaced picture of childhood - the battle panorama of the heroic storming suburban buses "Zhitomir-Beldyazhki".

Driving up to San Marino, a bus took sharply uphill. With the windows open these types that the happy owners of a diagnosis of acrophobia huddled in ecstasy:

The fundamental characteristics of San Marino are proud profiles of three castles, which even captured on the arms of the state:

The very first fortress Guaita appeared in the tenth century of our era:

Now here is the Museum of Artillery.

Guaita fortress from the pass "delle Strega":

Did not understand the purpose of these devices, similar to the cutting of the giant citrus press:

The second fortress honor was built in 1200:

Here is a luxurious museum of ancient weapons:

Vertical battlements injected into the horror of greedy conquerors. How many dead bodies in medieval chain mail and cuirasses were dropped into the abyss with these walls?

Government Palace:

the Republic of San Marino is ruled Arengo (Assembly of heads of families), large general council of 60 members and two captains-regent, who are elected for a term of 6 months and bearing functions of the executive power. For six months, and no longer. Ay, Putin. That's what I understand, democracy!

Iglesia de Santo Pieve. It is an example of one of the greatest mistakes of architect. Why? I tell if desired:

Museum of Torture. Unfortunately, we could not get there:

The monument to the victims of the Beslan tragedy of 2004. The same terrible as the tragedy itself:

San Marino - sort of a bicycle dvizhnyak. Fun to watch, sitting in a cafe latte macchiato and sucking like sweaty cyclists, swearing, play pedal on steep slopes:

Republic might well be called "Russified Monaco." I do not know what it is connected, in San Marino I have met, perhaps the largest concentration of Russian-speaking tourists. Even in our Antalya it was less.

For all of this fraternity opened hundreds of shops selling jackets, handbags, furs, Chinese souvenirs and other trifles. necessarily sitting of our saleswoman in each store. It was a little unusual to hear at every turn: "And this poyasochek perfect your panties" or "color of this bag this summer in absolute trend" or "Are you the same quality no Italian China.!" etc., etc. ...

In addition to trade, the main export product of San Marino postage stamps are (feel the scope of GDP?) And exclusive Euro coins San Marino.

The overall impression: a magical place of beauty. The combination of small-town coziness and heavy breathing harsh stories, bright colors of the Italian landscape and formidable military architecture. You'll be in these places, many do not think tusuy in San Marino, spit in Italy with semisotmetrovoy height!