Flag of San Marino

The state and war flag of San Marino is formed by two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and light blue with the national coat of arms superimposed in the center; the coat of arms has a shield (featuring three towers on three peaks) with a closed crown on top, flanked by an oak and laurel wreath, with a scroll below bearing the word LIBERTAS (Liberty). The two colors of the flag represent peace (white) and liberty (azure).[1]

San Marino
UseNational flag and ensign
Proportion3:4
Adopted6 April 1862 (standardized on 22 July 2011)
DesignA horizontal bicolour of white and light blue; charged with the Coat of arms in the centre
Variant flag of San Marino
UseCivil flag
Proportion3:4
DesignPlain white-blue bicolor.

Although the Law on the flag and coat of arms of San Marino from 2011 refers only to the "official flag" of the republic, a de facto civil flag, which omits the coat of arms, can sometimes be seen flying.[2] Some official sources of San Marino suggest that the civil flag is actually the bicolor with the coat of arms of the specific city it is used in, instead of the national one.[3]

The national ensign of San Marino is identical to the state flag.[4][5]

San Marino's municipalities all have flags that are very similar to San Marino's national flag. These flags all contain a shield-like emblem on the horizontal white and blue bicolor. Closest to the hoist of these flags is the name of the municipality written vertically.[6]

History

The oldest attested flag of the republic dates back from 4 September 1465, when it was commissioned from a manufacturer in Florence. It showed a horizontal tricolor of orange, white and purple, with the old emblem of San Marino depicted on the white stripe. It is not known how long it remained the state flag of the republic or when the white-blue bicolor appeared. In 1797, most likely influenced by the wave of reforms in France, the Supreme Council of the Republic commissioned a white and blue cockade, which, coincidentally or not, was identical to the one used by the French revolutionaries.[7][8]

The current flag was adopted on 6 April 1862 by a Decree of the Supreme Council and since then, little but graphic details of the coat of arms and some proportions were changed.

  • Historical flag attested in 1465 and used until 1797
  • Historical flag attested in 1862–2011

See also

References
  1. About the Republic of San Marino, p. 6.
  2. The picture of a de facto civil flag of San Marino
  3. The Portal of the Republic of San Marino
  4. Law no. 164 from 30 November 2004 for the establishment of the National Registry of Recreational Vessels, article 7.
  5. The Civil Aviation and Marittime Navigation Authority
  6. San Marino Municipalities Flags
  7. History of the flag of San Marino on rbvex.it
  8. Report on the Law project regarding the official flag and coat of arms of the Republic of San Marino
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