Mysterious San Marino: 10 Facts About the Country Where Pyunik Will Play a Conference League Match

Tomorrow, Yerevan’s Pyunik will play its first match of the 2025/26 season in the UEFA Conference League. Their opponent is Tre Fiori from the town of Fiorentino — one of nine “castelli” of the tiny state of San Marino. Before the match, here are some intriguing facts about this unique country.

• Early Christianization
San Marino, like Armenia, is among the first countries to adopt Christianity. According to legend, in 301 AD, a Christian named Marino fled persecution by Emperor Diocletian and founded a small community on Mount Titano — which later became an independent republic.

• The World’s Oldest Republic
San Marino is the oldest surviving republic in the world, maintaining independence since the 4th century. Its constitution, still in effect, dates back to 1600.

• Tiny but Proud Capital
The city of San Marino is the capital, yet it has only about 4,000 residents. Towering over it is Guaita Tower — one of three medieval fortresses on Mount Titano.

• 9 Castelli and 30 Villages
San Marino is divided into 9 administrative districts called castelli. The largest town is Serravalle with about 10,000 inhabitants. As of 2024, the total population is 33,627.

• Among the Richest Per Capita
According to the IMF, in 2023 San Marino ranked 16th globally in GDP per capita.

• No Airport or Trains
The country has no railway or airport. The nearest airport is in Rimini, Italy. San Marino is accessible only by car or bus.

• Borderless Borders
Although completely surrounded by Italy, there’s no passport control. San Marino remains a fully sovereign state.

• No Army — but a Guard
San Marino has no standing army, but it maintains the ceremonial Guardia di Rocca, protecting government buildings. In emergencies, citizens may form a militia.

• Football on One Stadium
The national league is semi-professional. Most matches, including national team games, are played at the only international-level venue — Stadio Olimpico in Serravalle.

• Historic Wins for the National Team
San Marino’s national team has won just three matches — all against Liechtenstein, with two coming in 2024. These results helped them win UEFA Nations League group D1 and move up to League C, where Armenia also competes.

Tomorrow, at Stadio Olimpico in Serravalle, Pyunik will kick off its European campaign against Tre Fiori. Kick-off is at 23:00 Yerevan time.

Twelve new Pyunik players are registered for the Conference League.