Basilica of San Marino

The Basilica of San Marino , legacy of the ancient parish church dating back to the 16th century, has always been a place of worship for the people of San Marino. Unfortunately, the original parish church was demolished, depriving the people of San Marino and all humanity of one of the first Christian monuments in pre-Romanesque style in Italy. The current basilica, whose construction began in 1826 on a design by the Bolognese architect Antonio Serra, was opened to the public on February 5, 1838. One hundred years after the start of the work, in 1926, the parish church was awarded the “dignity of Basilica Minor”, a great privilege for the people of San Marino. Beyond its artistic value, the Basilica of Santo Marino has a remarkable sacred and religious value: inside are kept the relics of San Marino, the stonemason of Rab, founder of the first Christian community on Mount Titano. The basilica was built according to the R

The cathedral is dedicated to Saint Marinus. Marinus is the founder of the Republic of San Marino and also the national saint. The church and the entire old town are part of the UNESCO World Heritage.

The basilica was consecrated in 1855 and in 1926 by Pope Pius XI. elevated to a minor basilica. This is a special honorary title bestowed by the Pope on an important church. There are only around 1,500 churches in the world that bear this title.