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Republic of San Marino
San Marino.
State symbols

Flag and
Coat of Arms

White above, blue below, the Coat of Arms in the centre. The Three Towers of the Titano, the closed crown, laurel, oak, the motto LIBERTAS. Officially adopted in 1862, definitively codified in 2011, the standard of the Republic gathers a thousand years of history into a single emblem.

Proportions
3 : 4
Official Coat
1862
Final law
2011

Source: Regency of the Republic · Official Bulletin of the Republic of San Marino

Flag of the Republic of San Marino with the Coat of Arms in the centre
§ I — Reading the Coat of Arms

Signs and meanings

At the centre of the shield stand the Three Towers of Mount Titano: Guaita, Cesta and Montale. Above the shield, the closed crown indicates the sovereignty of the State. On the sides, two leafy branches: laurel for victory and virtue, oak for strength and stability. Golden fruits and a silver ribbon close the composition at the bottom. The ribbon bears the word LIBERTAS, the motto of the Republic.

§ II — The flag

Two bands, proportions 3:4

The flag consists of two horizontal bands: the upper white, the lower blue. The official Coat of Arms is placed in the centre. The nine Casa del Castello buildings instead use the civic flag, which has the same proportions and colours but bears the local civic coat of arms of each Castello in the centre. Each Castello has its own coat of arms.

§ III — The history of the colours

From hypotheses to law

Traces of the standard's history are fragmentary. Sixteenth-century documents mention the flag without describing it. At the end of the nineteenth century the historian Carlo Malagola identified a composition different from the present one, with vertical bands of white, yellow and amaranth, the latter understood as a purplish hue. The hypothesis is depicted in Emilio Retrosi's 1894 fresco, placed in the hall of the Great and General Council. Later studies by Verter Casali, based on the analysis of Renaissance fabrics, argued for the removal of the yellow band to distinguish the flag from papal ensigns.

Institutional milestones of the State symbols
Year Event
1862Official adoption of the design of the Coat of Arms
1894Emilio Retrosi's fresco in the Council hall
1979The Council adopts a white-and-blue cockade with darker blue
2011Law definitively setting shape, colour and format
FAQ · Useful answers

Frequently asked questions

What are the colours of the flag of San Marino?
Two horizontal bands: white on top, blue at the bottom. The official Coat of Arms appears in the centre.
What does the Coat of Arms symbolise?
The Three Towers of Mount Titano (Guaita, Cesta and Montale) are enclosed in a shield surmounted by a closed crown, symbol of sovereignty. Around them, a laurel branch and an oak branch joined by a silver ribbon bearing the motto LIBERTAS.
What are the proportions of the flag?
They are 3:4. The civic flag, flown by the Casa del Castello buildings, keeps the same proportions with the local civic coat of arms in the centre.
When was the Coat of Arms officially established?
1862 is the year in which the design of the Coat of Arms was officially adopted. The law that definitively fixes shape, colour and format of the official flag dates from 2011.
Are there other historic versions?
At the end of the nineteenth century the historian Carlo Malagola hypothesised a composition with vertical bands of white, yellow and amaranth (purplish), depicted in Emilio Retrosi's 1894 fresco. Later studies by Verter Casali argued for the removal of the yellow band to distinguish the flag from papal ensigns.