The Republic of San Marino is divided into nine (), which constitute its first-level administrative divisions. Each castello is governed by a Captain of the Castle () and a Castle Council (), elected every five years.
Like Italian , each has a capital (), with other population centers sorted into (equivalent to Italian ). The country contains 44 ( ), the lowest administrative unit beneath its . Valdragone and Cailungo are divided into two curazie each, labelled and .
The Captain of the Castle performs functions broadly comparable to those of a mayor and serves as the head of the castello. Candidates must present an electoral list in accordance with the 1994 law and may not simultaneously serve as members of the Grand and General Council. The captain’s term of office is five years. The officeholder represents the castello and presides over and convenes the Castle Council, implements adopted resolutions, officiates civil marriage ceremonies, participates with voting rights in the urban planning commission, and assists citizens and local entities in administrative procedures before public offices.
Under Act No. 10 of 16 March 1925, the nine Captains of the Castle were appointed by the Grand and General Council. This system was reformed by Law No. 75 of 30 November 1979, which introduced the direct election of Captains of the Castle by universal suffrage. Newly elected captains take the oath of office at the Palazzo Pubblico in the City of San Marino before the Captains Regent. Since the 2020 local elections, foreign residents who have lived in San Marino for at least ten years have also been entitled to vote in elections for Captains of the Castle.
A law adopted in 2020 established the number of members of each Castle Council according to population size: six councillors in castelli with fewer than 2,500 inhabitants and eight councillors in those with 2,500 inhabitants or more. The councils perform functions broadly comparable to those of municipal councils in Italy and exercise deliberative, consultative, promotional, supervisory, and administrative responsibilities concerning local services within the territory and population of the castello.
Castelli Castello Area (km2)Population (January 2025) Annexation Councillors Acquaviva 4.86 2,138 1243 6 Borgo Maggiore 9.01 6,95312th century 8 Chiesanuova 5.46 1,191 1320 6 City of San Marino 7.09 4,118 301 8 Domagnano 6.62 3,617 1463 8 Faetano 7.75 1,188 1463 6 Fiorentino 6.56 2,607 1463 8 Montegiardino 3.31 1,004 1463 6 Serravalle 10.53 11,226 1463 8 Total 61.19 34,042 64
Curazie
+CastelliCurazieAcquaviva Gualdicciolo La SerraBorgo Maggiore Cà Melone Cà Rigo Cailungo Cailungo di Sopra Cailungo di Sotto San Giovanni sotto la Penne Valdragone Valdragone di Sopra Valdragone di Sotto VentosoChiesanuova Caladino Confine Galavotto Molarini Poggio Casalino Poggio Chiesanuova TeglioCittà di San Marino Cà Berlone Canepa Casole Castellaro Montalbo Murata Santa MustiolaDomagnano Cà Giannino Fiorina Piandivello Spaccio Giannoni TorracciaFaetano Cà Chiavello Calligaria Corianino Monte PulitoFiorentino Capanne Crociale di Fiorentino PianacciMontegiardino CerbaiolaSerravalle Cà Ragni Cinque Vie Dogana Falciano Lesignano Ponte Mellini Rovereta Valguirata
See also ISO 3166-2:SM – the constitute the principal subdivision for the International Organization for Standardization
References