Page 374 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Italy

372  CENTR AL IT AL Y

formal ities in this country, whose
borders are just 12 km (7 miles)
apart at the widest point. Sadly,
the capital, San Marino, is
over run with visitors and
souvenir stalls through the year.
Gari baldi sought shelter here
after fleeing Venice in 1849 and
is honoured by a monu ment in
Piazza Garibaldi. The town of
Borgomaggiore lies at the foot
of Monte Titano, with a cable
car to the capital above.

The bell tower of the Duomo rising above the village of San Leo 3 Pèsaro
1 San Leo the dukes of Monte feltro in the * 110,000. V @ n Viale Trieste
164 (0721 693 41). ( Tue & 1st Thu
15th century.
Pèsaro. * 3,000. n Piazza Dante of month.
Alighieri 14 (0541 92 69 67). The captivating village has a
@ from Rimini, change at Villanova. quaint cobbled square with a One of the Adriatic’s larger
∑ san-leo.it superb 9th-century Pieve (parish sea side resorts, Pèsaro has
church). Built partly with stone managed to retain a stylish air.
Few castles are as impressive as from the ruined Mons Feretrius, Behind the promenade and the
the great Fortress that towers the church was raised over the wall of white stucco hotels is a
over the village of San Leo. site of a 6th-century chapel. lively, attractive medieval area.
Dante used this crag-top site Just behind is the 12th-century The art gallery of the Musei
as a model for the land scapes Duomo, a fine Romanesque Civici contains Giovanni Bellini’s
of Purgatorio, while Machiavelli building with Corinthian capitals sumptuous polyptych, the
considered the citadel to be and Roman columns from the Coronation of the Virgin (c.1470).
the finest piece of military Mons Feretrius. The lid of St Leo’s The museum also features
architecture in Italy. Its rocky sarcophagus is in the crypt. Renaissance ceramics.
ramparts once con tained the Ancient pagan carvings can be The Museo Archeologico
Mons Feretrius, a Roman temple seen on the wall behind the altar. Oliveriano presents historical
dedicated to Jupiter. displays from Roman remains
An earlier Roman fortress on + Fortress to Iron Age artifacts from the
the site became a papal prison Via Leopardi. Tel 0541 91 63 06. necropolis of nearby Novilara.
in the 18th century. Its most Open daily. Closed lunch Oct–Mar. & The best of the town’s
famous inmate was the larger- churches is Sant’Agostino on
than-life Conte di Cagliostro. Corso XI Settembre, remark able
A swindler, womanizer, necro- 2 San Marino for its choir stalls, each a
mancer, quack and alchemist, * 26,000. @ San Marino patchwork of inlaid landscapes
Cagliostro was imprisoned Città (from Rimini). n Contrada and narrative scenes.
for heresy in the 1790s. His cell Omagnano (0549 88 29 14). Pèsaro is also a point of
was specially built so that its ∑ visitsanmarino.com musical pilgrimage because the
window faced the village’s two composer Gioacchino Rossini
churches. It is still visible, together Europe’s oldest republic, tiny was born here in 1792. His
with a small picture gallery, San Marino was reputedly home, Casa Rossini, contains
state rooms, and the majestic founded by St Marinus, a memor abilia, while his piano
Renaissance ramparts, built by 4th-century monk and stone-
Francesco di Giorgio Martini for mason forced to flee the
religious perse cution of
the Emperor Diocletian.
With him was St Leo,
founder of the nearby
town of San Leo. Situated
on the slopes of Monte
Titano, the country has
its own mint, stamps,
football team – even its
own 1,000-strong army.
It is also famous for
Formula One racing. Detail of the Coronation of the Virgin by
Duty-free shop in San Marino There are no customs Bellini (c.1470) in the Musei Civici
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp569–73 and pp590–96

372-373_EW_Italy.indd 372 26/04/16 5:18 pm
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
(Source v1.6)
Date 27th June 2012
Size 125mm x 217mm