Flag of Spain
La Rojigualda ("the red and weld-yellow")
Spain's flag has three horizontal stripes, red, yellow and red. The yellow stripe is twice as tall as each red one and carries the coat of arms near the flagpole.
At a glance
- Adopted
- December 19, 1981the red-yellow-red design dates from a naval flag of 1785 and is set out in the 1978 Constitution; today's coat of arms was added in 1981
- Shape (height : width)
- 2:3
- Capital
- Madrid
- Continent
- Europe
- Colours
- red
- yellow
What it means
- Red and yellow: there is no official meaning; they are historic colours of Spain's old kingdoms, and they were also chosen because they are easy to see at sea
- Shield quarters: the old kingdoms that formed Spain: a castle for Castile, a lion for Leon, red and gold stripes for Aragon, chains for Navarre and a pomegranate for Granada
- Pillars and "Plus Ultra": the Pillars of Hercules, an old name for the Strait of Gibraltar, with the motto "Plus Ultra" ("further beyond")
- Fleurs-de-lis in the centre: the royal House of Bourbon
Where it came from
In 1785 King Charles III wanted a new flag for his warships. Until then Spanish ships flew white flags that were easy to mix up with those of other European navies at sea.
The navy minister, Antonio Valdes, prepared twelve designs. On 28 May 1785 the king chose a red-yellow-red one and made the yellow band double width. Red and yellow were also old colours of the Crown of Aragon and of Castile.
History
In 1843 the design became the flag of the state and the army as well as the navy. During the Second Republic (1931-1939) Spain used red, yellow and purple stripes. Red and yellow returned in 1936, and under Franco the coat of arms carried a large black eagle.
After Spain became a democracy, the 1978 Constitution described the flag, and in 1981 a new coat of arms without the eagle was adopted. A plain version without the coat of arms is used on many merchant and fishing boats.
Fun facts
- The flag was first chosen to help sailors tell Spanish ships apart from far away.
- The nickname comes from "gualda", a yellow dye made from the weld plant.
- The pomegranate on the shield is a pun: "granada" means pomegranate in Spanish.
- Spain's flag appears on the back of the seal of the US state of Texas.
Easy to mix up with
Austria: Austria also has red stripes on the top and bottom, but its middle stripe is white and all three stripes are the same height
Questions
What does the flag of Spain look like?
Spain's flag has three horizontal stripes, red, yellow and red. The yellow stripe is twice as tall as each red one and carries the coat of arms near the flagpole.
What do the colours and symbols on the flag of Spain mean?
Red and yellow: there is no official meaning; they are historic colours of Spain's old kingdoms, and they were also chosen because they are easy to see at sea; Shield quarters: the old kingdoms that formed Spain: a castle for Castile, a lion for Leon, red and gold stripes for Aragon, chains for Navarre and a pomegranate for Granada; Pillars and "Plus Ultra": the Pillars of Hercules, an old name for the Strait of Gibraltar, with the motto "Plus Ultra" ("further beyond"); Fleurs-de-lis in the centre: the royal House of Bourbon.
When was the flag of Spain adopted?
The current flag of Spain was adopted on December 19, 1981. (the red-yellow-red design dates from a naval flag of 1785 and is set out in the 1978 Constitution; today's coat of arms was added in 1981)
What colours are on the flag of Spain?
The flag of Spain uses red and yellow.
Which flag is easy to mix up with the flag of Spain?
It is easy to mix up with the flag of Austria. Austria also has red stripes on the top and bottom, but its middle stripe is white and all three stripes are the same height
Famous landmarks in Spain
🎯 Play the flag quiz 🌍 Play the globe
Sources
- en.wikipedia.org
- crwflags.com
- en.wikipedia.org
- Flag picture: flagcdn.com (Wikimedia Commons)