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).

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. 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.

The national ensign of San Marino is identical to the state flag.

## 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.

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.

Old Flag of San Marino.svgDesign used in the past, but now abandonedHistorical Flag attested in 1465Flag of San Marino (before 2011).svgDesign used in the past, but now abandonedHistorical Flag attested in 1862–2011
## Proportions and colors

The official proportion of the flag is 3:4, the coat of arms' width being  3⁄8 of the flag's length. While the arms are horizontally centered, their vertical position on the flag is defined by the location of the center of the cross on top of the crown: at  1⁄8 of the flag's length. The proportion of the coat of arms is 5:6.

A 2:3 proportion can be used internationally and/or when specifically requested. In this case, the coat of arms' width is  1⁄3 of the flag's length, and the center of the cross on the top of the crown will be at  1⁄6 of the flag's height below the upper edge.

The colors of the flag are officially prescribed as follows:

## See also

* Coat of arms of San Marino
* The Three Towers of San Marino

## 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. ↑ History of the flag of San Marino on rbvex.it
7. ↑ Report on the Law project regarding the official flag and coat of arms of the Republic of San Marino

## External links

* Law on the flag and coat of arms of San Marino
* San Marino at Flags of the World