The Oldest Republic – Episode 11

How does a republic tell its own story through art?

In this episode of The Oldest Republic, we explore the artistic heritage of San Marino through three symbolic places that reveal how the Republic has represented itself across the centuries. Rather than offering a complete history of art, we follow a journey through buildings, images and monuments that connect memory, identity and power.

Our first stop is the Church and Convent of Saint Francis, one of the oldest and most significant religious complexes in the Republic. From medieval foundations and Renaissance frescoes to works linked to the great artistic centres of Italy, this site tells a story of faith, culture and artistic exchange.

We then move to the Monastery of Saint Clare, whose history begins during the Catholic Reformation and unfolds through the lives of the women who inhabited it. More than a religious building, it became a place of education, memory and community, leaving behind a rich artistic and cultural legacy.

Finally, we arrive at the Government Palace, perhaps the most symbolic building in San Marino. Rebuilt in the nineteenth century in a neo-medieval style, it was designed not only as a seat of government but also as a visual statement of the Republic’s identity, linking its institutions to the myth of perpetual freedom and its medieval origins.

Throughout the episode, we encounter vanished buildings, rediscovered artworks, ambitious restorations and carefully crafted symbols. Together, they reveal how San Marino has continuously used art and architecture to shape the image it presents to itself and to the world.

A small republic telling its story… through stone, images and memory.

#SanMarino #History #TheOldestRepublic #Art #CulturalHeritage

Subscribe to our channels to follow the full series:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@storiainflanella/featured
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4zuAthwqVO4rRJffD6yzkr?si=3fff127dd1a3495f

This podcast is sponsored by the Department of Foreign Affairs of San Marino, with the support of the San Marino Centre for Historical Studies (University of San Marino).

The texts are based on L. Gorgolini, S. Pivato (eds.), History of San Marino, 2026. This episode is based on chapter 11: M. Bollini, Art Through the Centuries: Three Significant Monuments.

Author: Giuseppe Giardi
Hosts: Carlotta Serra Ciotti and Federica Ghirotti
Video: Luca Zucchi

Chapters
00:00 Introduction
01:28 Saint Francis’ Church
05:31 Monastery of Saint Clare
10:04 Government Building
14:22 Conclusion

The Oldest Republic – Episode 10

A small community built on stone, faith and steep cliffs. A city enclosed by walls, shaped by centuries of history.

In this episode of The Oldest Republic, we explore the long urban transformation of San Marino, following the evolution of its landscape from the first medieval settlements on Mount Titano to the challenges of modern urban planning.

The story begins with the earliest traces of settlement around monasteries, churches and defensive structures, before following the gradual development of the medieval city, its walls and towers. Over centuries, San Marino grew slowly, preserving an urban identity that remained largely unchanged until the modern age.

The nineteenth century marked a turning point. New monuments such as the Basilica and the Government Palace reshaped the historic centre, expressing a renewed sense of national identity and projecting the image of an ancient republic entering the modern world.

The episode also explores the extraordinary work of Gino Zani in the twentieth century. Through restorations, reconstructions and ambitious urban projects, Zani helped create the image of San Marino that visitors know today: a city that appears medieval, yet is also the result of modern reinterpretation.

After the Second World War, rapid economic growth, tourism and industrial development transformed the territory once again. New roads, residential areas and commercial districts expanded beyond the historic centre, creating a landscape increasingly shaped by modern needs and opportunities.

From medieval walls to highways, from fortified towers to urban sprawl, this episode traces the continuous dialogue between heritage and development that has defined San Marino for centuries.

A small republic constantly rebuilding itself… in stone, concrete and memory.

#SanMarino #History #TheOldestRepublic #Architecture #UrbanHistory

Subscribe to our channels to follow the full series:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@storiainflanella/featured
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4zuAthwqVO4rRJffD6yzkr?si=3fff127dd1a3495f

This podcast is sponsored by the Department of Foreign Affairs of San Marino, with the support of the San Marino Centre for Historical Studies (University of San Marino).

The texts are based on L. Gorgolini, S. Pivato (eds.), History of San Marino, 2026. This episode is based on chapter 10: L. Morganti, Urban and Territorial Transformations in the History of San Marino.

Author: Giuseppe Giardi
Hosts: Carlotta Serra Ciotti and Federica Ghirotti
Video: Luca Zucchi

Chapters
00:00 Introduction
01:07 From Its Origins to the Medieval City: The Urban Roots of San Marino
06:05 The Construction of Identity: From the Pellacchi Cadastre to the Nineteenth-Century Monuments
10:07 Gino Zani and the "Re-Creation" of San Marino
13:06 From the Post-War Period to the Highway: The Assault on the Territory
14:50 Rules, Town Planning Schemes and the Difficult Relationship with the Territory
17:02 Conclusions

The Oldest Republic – Episode 9

A small republic on a mountain. Poor soil, hard work, little hope for the future.

In this episode of The Oldest Republic, we explore one of the most important and emotional chapters in San Marino’s modern history: emigration. Between the nineteenth century and the middle of the twentieth century, thousands of Sammarinese left their homeland in search of work, stability and dignity.

At first, migration was seasonal. Workers travelled on foot from the mountain to the plains of Romagna, the Marche or Lazio, looking for temporary jobs as labourers and peasants. But as poverty persisted and new routes opened through railways and steamships, migration became global.

From Argentina and Brazil to France, Belgium and the United States, entire communities of Sammarinese emigrants formed abroad. Some became miners, construction workers and factory labourers; others opened restaurants, workshops and small businesses, building new lives far from Mount Titano.

The episode follows this long journey across borders and oceans, exploring not only the economic causes behind emigration, but also the emotional dimension of departure: the letters sent home, the families divided for years, the uncertainty of travel and the dream of returning one day.

We also explore the impact of Fascism, restrictive immigration laws and post-war migration agreements, as well as the gradual reversal that transformed San Marino, from a land of departure into a country attracting workers from abroad.

At the heart of this story lies a profound contradiction: in order to survive, many Sammarinese had to leave their Republic behind — while continuing to carry it with them everywhere they went.

A small state whose history travelled far beyond its borders.

#SanMarino #History #TheOldestRepublic #Emigration

Welcome to the history of the oldest republic in the world.

Subscribe to our channels to follow the full series:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@storiainflanella/featured
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4zuAthwqVO4rRJffD6yzkr?si=3fff127dd1a3495f

This podcast is sponsored by the Department of Foreign Affairs of San Marino, with the support of the San Marino Centre for Historical Studies (University of San Marino).

The texts are based on L. Gorgolini, S. Pivato (eds.), History of San Marino, 2026. This episode is based on chapter 9: P. di Luca, Emigration Between the 19th and 20th Centuries.

Author: Giuseppe Giardi
Hosts: Carlotta Serra Ciotti and Federica Ghirotti
Video: Luca Zucchi

Chapters
00:00 Introduction
02:01 The Horizon of Departure
04:12 Emigration: from “mount to plain”
06:47 Across the Ocean and across the Border
09:55 Latest Journeys and Returns
11:23 The Legacy of an Exodus