美文欣赏-A Mysterious City.doc

美文欣赏:A Mysterious City 　　译者：安徽省蚌埠市五河县第一中学英语组，薛丽。 I had almost never heard about the country of San Marino， one of the worlds smallest ， before I saw it months ago. Located in the centre of Italy， the territory of San Marino is only 61 square kilometers， mostly on hills； the population of formal residents is only 30，000， with 12，000 travelling outside. But travelling in this small land is full of surprises if one knows its rich history . In the Republic of San Marino， there is a deep-rooted veneration of the Saint Marinus， the legendary founder of the Republic. The legend narrates how the master stone-cutter left his native island of Arbe in Dalmatia and came to Mount Titano to establish a small community of Christians ， anxious to escape the persecutions of the Roman emperor Diocletian. What is certain is that the area had been inhabited since prehistoric times， but the earliest definite evidence of a monastery ， parish church and castle， which confirm the existence of an organized community on the mountain， only dates back to the Middle Ages. At a time when the authority of the Empire was waning and the temporal power of the Pope had not yet been established， the local people like those of other Italian city-states， decided to give themselves some form of government. A free city was born. Today the Republic is independent， democratic and neutral ， and still remains faithful to some of its ancient traditions. The entire centre of the capital， San Marino， is a monument. Along the cliff edge of Mount Titano stands the three magnificent fortresses， la Guaita， la Cesta， and Montale， still linked together by walls and pathways to the town below. In the sunset， all the cliffs and fortresses are bathed in golden sunshine， all walk in the heart of history. People search for corners still preserving the unique atmosphere of ancient times in San Marino most like a scene in a big Hollywood movie about the Middle Ages. The three castles were all built