Borgo Maggiore

Borgo Maggiore (E Bórgh; lit. 'Major borough') is one of the nine castelli of San Marino. It lies at the foot of Monte Titano and has a population of 6,871 (May 2018), making it the second largest town of San Marino after Dogana.

History
The area was previously called Mercatale ("marketplace") and remains today the most important market town in San Marino. Though it is not the most populated, the Market, as well as the connection to San Marino City, make it very much a city-like shopping hub.

Geography
Borgo Maggiore borders the Sammarinese castelli Serravalle, Domagnano, Faetano, Fiorentino, San Marino City, and Acquaviva and the Italian municipality Verucchio.

Borgo Maggiore contains eight curazie: Cà Melone, Cà Rigo, Cailungo (di Sopra and di Sotto), San Giovanni sotto le Penne, Valdragone (di Sopra and di Sotto), and Ventoso.

Transport
Borgo Maggiore is the terminus of the San Marino Highway, a dual carriageway which runs to Dogana through Domagnano and Serravalle. After crossing the international border at Dogana, the highway continues through Italy as the SS72 state road to Rimini.

Borgo Maggiore is the base terminus of the Funivia di San Marino, an aerial cablecar system that connects the town to the City of San Marino. Running every fifteen minutes, the two-minute ride is renowned for its paronamic views over San Marino, the Province of Rimini, and the Adriatic Sea. The base station in Borgo Maggiore is located on Piazzale Campo della Fiera.

Five of San Marino's eight bus lines stop in Borgo Maggiore. Borgo Maggiore is also served by coaches running between Rimini and the City of San Marino.

Between 1932 and 1944, a 31.5 km electrified narrow gauge railway operated between Rimini and the City of San Marino; Borgo Maggiore was the penultimate station on the Rimini–San Marino railway before the City. Its station was located on the present-day Via Ventotto Luglio, near Borgo Maggiore's elementary school and less than 100 m downhill from the present-day Funivia terminus. The station was double-tracked, with one short track on the Rimini side serving the station's goods warehouse. During the Second World War, the line was bombed and closed. After the war, the railway was abandoned in favour of the San Marino Highway. Borgo Maggiore's railway station was demolished and became a car park.

Between 1961 and 1969, Compagnia Italiana Elicotteri operated helicopter flights between Borgo Maggiore and Rimini's port; the service was extended to San Leo in 1964. The cablecar to the City of San Marino was included in flight tickets, which would cost up to 12,500 lire. After the service's closure in 1969, the heliport was replaced by a parking lot for the Funivia.

Points of interest

 * Piazza Grande, town square

International relations
Borgo Maggiore is twinned with:
 * 🇮🇹 Catania, Italy(2015)
 * 🇲🇹 Żurrieq, Malta(2001)

Notable inhabitants

 * Alessandra Perilli (born 1988), Sanmarinese Olympic medallist (sport shooting)
 * Manuel Poggiali (born 1983), Sanmarinese motorcycle racer