September 3: Holidays, Historical Events, Famous Birthdays & Zodiac Sign
The world's oldest surviving republic was founded on September 3, 301, when Saint Marinus established the tiny state of San Marino.
About September 3
Saint Marinus, a stonemason fleeing persecution, founded San Marino on September 3, 301 — making it both one of the smallest nations on Earth and the oldest republic still in existence. The date is celebrated annually as the Feast of San Marino and the Republic. More than 1,600 years later, September 3 also became independence day for Qatar, which gained full sovereignty from the United Kingdom in 1971.
The date carries profound weight in military and diplomatic annals. In 1783, the Treaty of Paris was signed, formally ending the American Revolutionary War and recognizing the United States as an independent nation. Exactly 156 years later, Britain and France declared war on Germany after the invasion of Poland, formally launching the Allied coalition of World War II. Earlier, in 1260, the Mamluks handed the seemingly unstoppable Mongol Empire its first decisive defeat at the Battle of Ain Jalut in Palestine, halting their westward expansion.
September 3 is also a day of remarkable firsts. Sir Malcolm Campbell became the first person to drive an automobile over 300 mph on the Bonneville Salt Flats in 1935. In 1967, Sweden switched overnight from left-hand to right-hand traffic in a chaotic but successful operation known as Dagen H. And in 1976, NASA's Viking 2 spacecraft touched down at Utopia Planitia on Mars, extending humanity's reach to the Red Planet's surface.
Holidays & Observances on September 3
- China's victory over Japan commemoration related observances: Armed Forces Day (Republic of China)
- Feast of San Marino and the Republic, celebrates the foundation of the Republic of San Marino in 301.
- Flag Day (Australia)
- Independence Day, celebrates the second independence of Qatar from the United Kingdom in 1971.
- Levy Mwanawasa Day (Zambia)
- Merchant Navy Remembrance Day (Canada)
- Merchant Navy Day (United Kingdom)
- National Welsh Rarebit Day (United States)
Fun & National Days on September 3
- International Cabernet Sauvignon Day — Pour a glass of the world's most beloved red wine and toast to good company.
- National Skyscraper Day — Look up at your nearest towering skyline and marvel at human engineering reaching for the clouds.
- National Baby Back Ribs Day — Fire up the grill or find a great barbecue joint for tender, slow-cooked perfection.
- US Bowling League Day
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