San Marino, officially known as the Republic of San Marino, is a microstate surrounded by the country of Italy. The background of its flag consists of two equal horizontal bands of white on top and light blue on the bottom. In the center is the country’s coat of arms featuring a shield which depicts three towers and a crown on top with oak and laurel leaves on either side. Under the shield is a scroll which reads “LIBERTAS”.

The white color on the San Marino flag symbolizes peace while the blue represents liberty. The inscription on the flag also references liberty. The three towers depicted on the shield represent the peaks of the mountain known as Monte Titano (or Mount Titan). The first tower, Guaita, is the oldest and most well-known of the trio. The second, Cesta, was built in the 13th century while the third, Montale, is the only one not accessible to the public.

The current flag of San Marino was adopted by a Decree of the Supreme Council on April 6, 1862. Because of the country’s status as one of the oldest republics on the globe its official flag also has the distinction of being one the oldest flag designs in the world.

Previous versions of San Marino’s flag date back to 1465 when a manufacturer from Florence, Italy was commissioned to create a suitable national symbol. This version was very different from the present day flag and was made up of three equal horizontal bands of color; orange, white, and purple. In its center it featured the old emblem of the republic, complete with the three towers and with the word Libertas in scripted below.

This page was last modified on May 1st, 2018

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