This floor is located between the ground floor and the noble floor and is characterised by the balcony looking onto the entrance hall.

Near the door leading to the room now used as Press Room, a small tempera painting on the wall, based on the drawing by Francesco Azzurri, depicts the Republic’s liberation from occupation by Cardinal Giulio Alberoni, Papal Legate to Romagna, on 5 February 1740, day of St. Agata, who, since then, has become joint patron saint of the Republic.

In this painting, known as “Alberoni’s tablet”, Cardinal Alberoni is depicted as a huge threatening tree. Saint Agata, represented as a star, hits the tree with a ray of light, thus drying it and breaking the branch from which Cardinal Alberoni’s hat is hanging.

This tempera painting represents both the failure of the attack to the Republic and the end of Cardinal Alberoni’s brilliant career. Indeed, during the conclave in 1740 he was not elected pope as he hoped.  

This work, as demonstrated by the inscription underneath, is dedicated to all those who actively interceded with the Roman Curia to restore San Marino independence. 

Near the tablet is a marble bust of Pope Clemente XII who, on that occasion, did his utmost to help San Marino people regain peace and lost freedom.