Origins of the Castello
The toponym Acquaviva comes from the spring that flows at the foot of Monte Cerreto. Tradition has it that Marinus, having arrived from Dalmatia, baptised at this very spot the first Christians of the community that was forming on the Titano.
The Castello has been part of Sammarinese territory since the origins, together with the City and Borgo Maggiore, and for a long time kept the name of Montecerreto, after the ridge that dominates it. The drafting of the Placito Feretrano, the oldest document attesting the autonomy of the community, is connected to this very territory.
Territory and borders
Within the Castello stands the Baldasserona cliff, a large rocky cleft considered by Sammarinese people the first place where Saint Marinus stopped once he reached the Titano. For this reason many identify the cliff as the symbolic starting point of the history of the Republic.
The Castello borders Borgo Maggiore and the City of San Marino and, on its outer flanks, the Italian municipalities of San Leo (PU) and Verucchio (RN). The main curazie are Gualdicciolo, La Ciarulla, Pianacci and Piandivello; the administrative core remains the small village of Acquaviva-centre.
| Residents | 2.144 (31 March 2025) |
|---|---|
| Surface | 4,86 km² |
| Altitude | town centre at about 390 m a.s.l. |
| Hamlets/Curazie | Gualdicciolo · La Ciarulla · Pianacci · Piandivello |
| Borders with | Borgo Maggiore and City of San Marino |
| Italian municipalities | San Leo (Pesaro and Urbino) and Verucchio (Rimini) |
Source of demographic data: Office of Informatics, Technology, Data and Statistics of the Republic of San Marino, Statistical Bulletin - Q1 2025, Table 1.7.
Places and traditions
In the curazia of Gualdicciolo, on the border with Italy and along the Rio San Marino, the tradition of Liquorificio Cesarini has developed, active since 1968 and producing most Sammarinese liqueurs. The centre of Acquaviva keeps the church of Sant'Andrea and the garden dedicated to Saint Marinus.
In the surroundings, hiking trails connect the Baldasserona cliff to the path of Mont Serrone. From the belvedere one can see the profile of Mount Titano and of the Republic all the way to the sea.
Heraldry of the Castello
The coat of arms recalls the old toponym of Montecerreto: three leafy turkey oaks on a hill of three golden peaks set in a pyramid. «Azure, three turkey oaks leafy vert, trunked proper, growing on a hill of three peaks Or».
For more on Sammarinese heraldic symbology: flag and coat of arms of the Republic.