Guaita, Cesta and the Montale Tower are the three towers, called the “hackle”, symbol of the Titan, bulwarks in defense of freedom, sacred to San Marino citizens.
First Tower – Guaita fortress
Built directly on the stone of the mountain without any foundations, the First Tower, with a pentagonal base, dates back to the XI century and is among the oldest fortresses in Italy. It is also called “Rocca” or “Guaita”, which in San Marino dialect means “to stand guard.”
Reinforced several times successively and rebuilt in the second half of the 15th century, it was covered with a sloping roof in the 16th century. Between its solid walls, protected by a double wall circle (the outer one with battlements and decapitated towers at the corners), sheltered the people during sieges. The central core was the guardhouse, and some rooms were used as a prison until October 1970 for those serving sentences not exceeding 6 months.
The baroque stone coat of arms that can be seen on the front door is that of the Republic and dates back to the 1600s; previously it stood on the old Palazzo Pubblico. The inner wall is limited by the Bell Tower and the Torre della Penna, built several centuries later. The innermost part, the Mastio, is the oldest and is the only one that has remained unchanged over time. The upper gate, which can be reached by means of a staircase, is defended by a bertesca from 1481. In the courtyard are some artillery pieces from the last war: two mortars, a gift from Victor Emmanuel II, two cannons (75 mm) used as blanks by the Guard of the Rock on holidays, a gift from Victor Emmanuel III. As soon as you enter on the right you will also find the Chapel of St. Barbara (patron saint of Artillerymen) built in 1960.
Prima Torre – First Tower
Via Salita alla Rocca – San Marino City
Phone +378 0549-991369
Admission: € 6.00 cumulative ticket with the Second Tower or another monument of your choice.
€ 8.00 full visit ticket for all monuments.
Opening hours
January 02 to June 06: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
From June 07 to September 5: 9:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.
September 06 to December 31: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
The museum is closed on the following days: Jan. 1, afternoon of Nov. 2 and Dec. 25
Visiting hours and fees may be subject to change
Second Tower – Fratta
On the second peak of Mount Titan, the highest, at 756 meters above sea level, is instead the Castle of the Cesta, also known as the Fratta. Built at the end of the 11th century, also of pentagonal plan, the Second Tower was the seat of the guardhouse and also housed some prison cells.
Towards the end of the 16th century, having lost its strategic importance, the Tower fell into disuse until 1930 when, as part of the modernization of the country resulting from the construction of the Rimini-San Marino railway, it was decided to restore the medieval monuments to encourage the influx of tourists to the Titan.
Today it houses the Museum of Ancient Weapons, which includes about 535 objects including sidearms, auction weapons, firearms, bows, crossbows, and armor all dating from various periods between the Middle Ages and the end of the 19th century. The remainder of the collection, which as a whole has more than 1550 pieces, is located in the “Center for the Study of Arms from the Middle Ages to the Twentieth Century” in Borgo Maggiore.
Seconda Torre – Second Tower
Via Salita alla Cesta – San Marino City
Phone +378 0549-991295
Tickets: 6.00 euro cumulative with the First Tower
Opening hours.
January 02 to June 06: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
From June 07 to September 5: 9:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.
September 06 to December 31: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
The museum is closed on the following days: Jan. 1, afternoon of Nov. 2 and Dec. 25
Visiting hours and fees may be subject to change
Third Tower – Montale
The Third Tower known as the Montale Tower dates back to the late 13th century. It is the “smallest” in size, but it played a strategic role in defense: in fact, it is placed in the best position for lookout.
It is a fortress with a pentagonal plan, restored several times over the centuries, most recently in 1935. The interior contains an 8-meter-deep dungeon known as the “bottom of the tower.” Around the Montale can be seen very old large boulders of rock, stacked in a primitive manner in the guise of walls.
The section of wall leading from the Second Tower to the parking lot of the ancient quarry belongs to the remains of the second city wall built in the 13th century. The city of San Marino, in fact, was fortified by three sets of walls built at three different times and largely torn down to allow the city to expand.
This tower is not open to the public for visits and can only be admired from the outside.
