History of San Marino in Timeline

San Marino, officially the Republic of San Marino, is a tiny European country completely surrounded by Italy. Situated in the Apennine Mountains, it is the world's fifth smallest country, covering just over 61 square kilometers and inhabited by around 33,660 people.

May 1915: World War I Neutrality

Despite Italy's declaration of war on Austria-Hungary in May 1915, San Marino remained neutral. This neutrality was viewed with suspicion by Italy, who feared San Marino might harbor Austrian spies. Tensions arose as Italy attempted to station Carabinieri in San Marino and cut telephone lines when their demands were not met.

1921: Opening of Torello Station

San Marino's first railway connection was established in 1921 with the opening of Torello Station on the Rimini–Novafeltria railway, situated within Italian territory.

1922: Founding of the Sammarinese Fascist Party

The Sammarinese Fascist Party (PFS) was founded in 1922, mirroring its Italian counterpart. This followed post-war economic struggles in San Marino, with high unemployment and inflation fueling tensions between social classes.

1923: PFS Rule Begins

The PFS, often seeking support from Mussolini's fascist government in Italy, assumed power in 1923, marking the start of their rule in San Marino.

1932: Opening of the Rimini-San Marino Railway

1932 marked the opening of a 31.5-kilometer electrified narrow gauge railway connecting Rimini and the City of San Marino.

1939: Friendship Treaty between San Marino and Italy

The Friendship Treaty between San Marino and Italy was signed in 1939 and served as the basis for future agreements, including the introduction of an import tax in San Marino equivalent to Italy's VAT in 1972.

September 1940: False Declaration of War

In September 1940, an article in The New York Times incorrectly reported that San Marino had declared war on the United Kingdom. The Sammarinese government refuted this claim, asserting their neutrality and communicating their stance to the British government.

July 1943: Declaration of Neutrality

Three days after the fall of the Fascist regime in Italy, the new government in San Marino declared neutrality in the conflict in July 1943.

1943: Collapse of PFS Rule

Following the downfall of the Fascist regime in Italy, the PFS rule in San Marino also crumbled in 1943. A new government was established, which declared neutrality in the ongoing World War II.

April 1944: Brief Return of the PFS

The PFS briefly regained power in April 1944, but they maintained San Marino's neutrality in the war.

June 1944: Bombing of San Marino

Despite its declared neutrality, San Marino was bombed by the Royal Air Force in June 1944. This action was based on the mistaken belief that San Marino was occupied by German forces and used for military purposes.

September 1944: Brief German Occupation

San Marino experienced a short-lived occupation by German forces in September 1944. However, Allied forces defeated the Germans in the Battle of San Marino, ending the occupation.

1944: Closure of the Rimini-San Marino Railway

After suffering bomb damage during World War II, the Rimini-San Marino railway ceased operation in 1944.

1945: World's First Democratically Elected Communist Government

In 1945, San Marino witnessed the formation of the world's first democratically elected communist government. This coalition government, comprising the Sammarinese Communist Party and the Sammarinese Socialist Party, came to power.

September 1950: Inaugural Flights at Borgo Maggiore Heliport

Borgo Maggiore's heliport, now a parking lot for the Funivia, inaugurated its first flights in September 1950.

1957: End of the Coalition Government

The coalition government in San Marino, led by the communist and socialist parties, lost power in 1957 due to the events known as the "fatti di Rovereta."

June 1959: Helicopter Line Inauguration

A helicopter line connecting Borgo Maggiore and Rimini's port was inaugurated on 30 June 1959, operated by Compagnia Italiana Elicotteri.

August 1959: Cablecar System Inauguration

The San Marino cable car system was inaugurated on 1 August 1959.

1960: Closure of Torello Station

Torello Station, which served as San Marino's railway connection, was closed in 1960.

1964: Helicopter Line Extension to San Leo

The helicopter line from Borgo Maggiore to Rimini was extended to San Leo in 1964.

1969: Closure of Helicopter Service

The helicopter service connecting Borgo Maggiore to Rimini and San Leo ceased operations in 1969.

1972: Value-added tax (VAT)

In 1972, San Marino introduced an import tax, equivalent to Italy's value-added tax (VAT), as per their 1939 friendship treaty.

1976: Census in San Marino

The first census in San Marino since 1976 was conducted in 2010.

1977: Diocesan Adjustment

In 1977, the border between the Diocese of Montefeltro and the Diocese of Rimini was adjusted, placing all of San Marino within the Diocese of Montefeltro.

1977: Diocese of San Marino-Montefeltro

Until 1977, the Diocese of San Marino-Montefeltro was historically known as the Diocese of Montefeltro.

1981: First Use of Torraccia Airfield's Runway

The grass runway at Torraccia Airfield, located in Torraccia, east of Domagnano, was first used in 1981.

1984: Introduction of Personal Income Tax

San Marino introduced the personal income tax (IGR) in 1984.

1985: Opening of Torraccia Airfield

Torraccia Airfield's structure was officially opened in 1985.

1987: Guard of the Rock Statute

The statute of 1987 formally established the Guard of the Rock as "Criminal Police Officers" in addition to their military responsibilities. They are tasked with assisting the police in major crime investigations.

1988: Apostolic Nunciature

An apostolic nunciature to San Marino was formally established in 1988, vested in the nuncio to Italy.

1988: Joining the Council of Europe

San Marino became a member of the Council of Europe in 1988, marking a significant step in its international relations.

1992: Joining the United Nations

San Marino further expanded its global engagement by joining the United Nations in 1992.

1993: Notable Draw with Turkey

San Marino held Turkey to a 0-0 draw during the European qualifiers for the 1994 FIFA World Cup in 1993.

1994: Davide Gualtieri's Record-Breaking Goal

During the 1994 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, Davide Gualtieri of San Marino scored a goal against England in 8.3 seconds, holding the record for the fastest international goal until 2016.

1994: Fatal Accidents at the San Marino Grand Prix

Tragically, the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix, held in Imola, Italy, witnessed the fatal accidents of drivers Roland Ratzenberger and Ayrton Senna on consecutive days.

1995: Cablecar System Modernization

The San Marino cable car system underwent modernization in 1995 and 1996, including the installation of double load-bearing cables by Doppelmayr Italia.

1996: Hosting the European Cup

San Marino hosted the European Cup, a tournament for top baseball clubs, in 1996.

1996: Cablecar System Modernization

The San Marino cable car system underwent modernization in 1995 and 1996, including the installation of double load-bearing cables by Doppelmayr Italia.

2000: Hosting the European Cup

San Marino hosted the European Cup for the second time in 2000.

2002: San Marino's stake in Aeradria and Airport Naming

San Marino acquired a 3% stake in Fellini Airport's management company, Aeradria, in 2002, leading to the airport's official naming as Rimini-San Marino Airport.

2004: San Marino's Sole Football Victory

In 2004, the San Marino national football team achieved its first and only win, a 1-0 victory over Liechtenstein.

2004: Hosting the European Cup

The European Cup was held in San Marino for the third time in 2004.

2006: Winning the European Cup

San Marino's baseball team achieved victory in the European Cup in 2006.

October 2007: First Disabled Captain Regent

Mirko Tomassoni made history in October 2007 by becoming the first disabled person to be elected as captain regent in San Marino.

2007: Legalization of Casinos

Casinos were outlawed in San Marino prior to 2007, when they were legalized and regulated, with one legal casino currently in operation.

2007: Hosting the European Cup

San Marino hosted the European Cup for the fourth time in 2007.

2007: Removal of the San Marino Grand Prix

The San Marino Grand Prix was removed from the Formula One calendar in 2007.

2007: Reinstatement of the San Marino and Rimini's Coast Motorcycle Grand Prix

The San Marino and Rimini's Coast motorcycle Grand Prix marked its return to the racing calendar in 2007, taking place at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli.

2008: New Election Law and Political Alliances

A new election law introduced in 2008 in San Marino led to a higher threshold for small parties entering Parliament. This resulted in the formation of two main political alliances: the right-wing Pact for San Marino and the left-wing Reforms and Freedom. The Pact for San Marino won the 2008 general election.

2008: UNESCO World Heritage Site Designation

The year 2008 marked a significant moment for San Marino as "San Marino: Historic Centre and Mount Titano" earned recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage List site during the 32nd Session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in Québec, Canada.

2010: Census in San Marino

The first census since 1976 was conducted in 2010, with results expected by the end of 2011.

2011: Introduction of a separate tax on services

A separate 3% tax on services was introduced in San Marino in 2011.

2011: Winning the European Cup

San Marino's baseball team secured another European Cup championship title in 2011.

2011: Census Results Delay

The results of the 2010 census in San Marino were delayed due to 13% of families not returning their forms by the end of 2011.

July 2012: Runway Extension at Torraccia Airfield

The runway at Torraccia Airfield, San Marino's only aviation facility, was extended to 650 meters in July 2012.

2012: Partial Reopening as Heritage Railway

A section of the former Rimini-San Marino railway, measuring 800 meters, was restored and reopened in 2012 as a heritage railway.

2012: Jewish Population in San Marino

As of 2012, few Jews remain in San Marino, despite the country providing a haven for over 100,000 Jews during World War II.

2012: Opening of the Heritage Railway

In 2012, San Marino opened an 800-meter heritage railway line in the City of San Marino.

September 2013: Bilateral Agreement for Airport Concession

On 16 September 2013, a significant bilateral agreement granted San Marino a forty-year concession over areas of Fellini Airport.

2013: Personal Income Tax Reform

The personal income tax system in San Marino underwent substantial reforms in 2013, aiming to boost fiscal revenue.

October 2014: High Number of Female Heads of State

By October 2014, San Marino had seen more female heads of state than any other nation, with 15 women having served in this role.

2014: Tourism in San Marino

In 2014, approximately 2 million tourists visited San Marino, contributing to over 22% of the country's GDP.

2014: Winning the European Cup

The year 2014 saw San Marino's baseball team emerge victorious in the European Cup once again.

2014: Eurovision Song Contest Final Qualification

Valentina Monetta, a San Marino native, secured the country's first-ever qualification for the Eurovision Song Contest final in 2014 with the song "Maybe".

2016: Gualtieri's Record Broken

The record for the fastest international goal, previously held by San Marino's Davide Gualtieri since 1994, was surpassed in 2016.

2017: Cablecar System Renovation

The San Marino cable car system was further renovated in the spring of 2017.

June 2018: Airport Name Change

In June 2018, Fellini Airport's management company, Ariminum, renamed the airport terminal to "Aeroporto Internazionale di Rimini e San Marino" (Rimini and San Marino International Airport).

2019: Forest Landscape Integrity Index Ranking

In 2019, San Marino received a mean score of 0.01/10 on the Forest Landscape Integrity Index. This ranking placed the country last out of 172 countries assessed globally.

2019: Eurovision Song Contest Final Qualification

San Marino achieved its second Eurovision Song Contest final qualification in 2019 with Turkish singer Serhat's performance of "Say Na Na Na," achieving 19th place in the final.

2019: Co-hosting the UEFA European Under-21 Championship

San Marino, alongside Italy, co-hosted the 2019 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, with matches played at the Stadio Olimpico in Serravalle. However, the Sammarinese team did not participate in the final tournament.

2019: "Dialogue" Sculpture

The sculpture "Dialogue" by Michele Chiaruzzi, the first monument dedicated to interfaith dialogue, was inaugurated at Saint Anne Chapel in 2019.

June 2020: Highest COVID-19 Death Rate

Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, San Marino recorded the highest death rate per capita globally as of June 2020.

2020: Olympic Medal Wins

At the 2020 Summer Olympics, San Marino etched its name in history by becoming the smallest nation to secure an Olympic medal. Alessandra Perilli won bronze in women's trap shooting, and later, she and Gian Marco Berti added a silver in the mixed trap shooting event.

2020: Dissolution of the Akademio Internacia de la Sciencoj San Marino

The Akademio Internacia de la Sciencoj San Marino, known for its use of Esperanto, was dissolved in 2020.

April 2021: Use of Sputnik V Vaccine

In April 2021, San Marino opted to use the Russian Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine instead of EU-approved vaccines. This decision was driven by the slow rollout of the latter vaccines.

2021: Eurovision Song Contest Final Qualification

San Marino celebrated its third Eurovision Song Contest final qualification in 2021, thanks to Italian singer Senhit and American rapper Flo Rida's performance of "Adrenalina".

April 2022: World's First Openly Gay Head of State

Paolo Rondelli, aged 58, was elected as one of San Marino's two captains regent in April 2022. His election marked a historic moment as he became the world's first openly gay head of state.

August 2022: Legalization of Abortion

San Marino took a significant step by legalizing abortion in August 2022. This decision, approved by the legislature, allows for the procedure to be funded by the public health system, making San Marino one of the last European states to overturn previous restrictions on abortion.

August 2023: Sammarinese Authorities' Absence at Airport

As of August 2023, Sammarinese authorities still lack a presence at Fellini Airport, despite the 2013 concession agreement.

September 2023: Population of San Marino

As of September 2023, San Marino's population is estimated at 33,896 residents.

October 2023: High Rate of Car Ownership

As of October 2023, San Marino had the third-highest rate of car ownership globally, surpassing many other countries with more vehicles than people. Gibraltar held the top spot, followed by Guernsey.