Spain´s Flag - A Red And Yellow Beauty


Spain´s flag (the national one) is as colorful as the country itself with its red and yellow horizontal triband.

The yellow stripe is in the middle and is twice as tall as each red band, and the height of the flag is two-thirds the width.

A simplified version of Spain´s coat-of-arms is pictured on the yellow band, towards the hoist side.

The Spanish coat-of-arms includes the royal seal, framed by the Pillars of Hercules, which represent Gibraltar and Ceuta on either side of the eastern end of the Strait of Gibraltar.

The red banners display the motto in Latin PLUS ULTRA, which means "More Beyond", alluding to Columbus´ discovery of the New World.

The two columns flank a shield that displays a castle, a lion wearing a crown, red and yellow vertical stripes, chain mail, and three fleurs-de-lis in an oval in the center.

An ornate red and golden crown sits atop the shield.

The flag used today in Spain was officially adopted on 19 December 1981. Previous to this, there had been an eagle on it as well but, in 1981, the eagle was removed, leaving the current red/yellow/red triband with crowned arms.

The red and golden-yellow colors of Spain´s flag were first used as long ago as the late 1700s by the King of Spain as he tried to easily differentiate his ships from those of other countries.

They were the original colors found within the coat-of-arms of both the Castile and Aragon regions of the country, the regions first united by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella.

There is a legend that holds that the colors of the flag of Spain are derived from the bullfight arena, the red respresenting the blood shed and the yellow the sand of the arena! However, this is just a legend and not based on historical facts!

The pledge to the Spanish flag is called the "Jura de Bandera", meaning "Oath of the Flag".

Spain is divided into 17 different regions or autonomous communities and each community also has its own regional flag.

However, the red-and-yellow national flag of Spain is recognized by all Spanish regions.

Now that you know all about Spain´s flag, why not come on out here and watch one flapping in the warm, Spanish breeze?

Linda Plummer is webmistress of Top Tour of Spain providing comprehensive information on Spain for travel, food, language or living.







Related News



Resignations at VCU following the school's investigation into ... - WBT

Resignations at VCU following the school's investigation into ...
WBT, NC -7 hours ago
Robert D. Holsworth is resigning as interim dean of the College of Humanities and Sciences. The noted political analyst will continue as political science ...

Art show winners announced - Waverly News

Art show winners announced
Waverly News, IA -48 minutes ago
The Bellevue Artists' Association Bellevue University Summer Art Show is on display in the Humanities Building Gallery and will run through July 30. ...

HRD Ministry mulls uniform quota for IIT faculties - Expressindia.com

HRD Ministry mulls uniform quota for IIT faculties
Expressindia.com, India -6 hours ago
While at present there is a quota in the Humanities streams at all levels, for Science and Technology streams, a quota has been proposed at the entry level. ...
New IIT opening on August 2Times of India
85% quota seats going empty as candidates fail to make the gradeLivemint
all 10 news articles

What are the humanities good for? - Macleans.ca

What are the humanities good for?
Macleans.ca, Canada -15 hours ago
There is an interesting article titled: “The Role of the Humanities in the Modern University: Some Historical and Philosophical Considerations” “This ...

Farmers missing out on industrialization benefits - Thanh Nien Daily

Thanh Nien Daily

Farmers missing out on industrialization benefits
Thanh Nien Daily, Vietnam -5 hours ago
Dr. Tran Thi Thu Luong, deputy director of the HCMC University of Social Sciences and Humanities’ Center for Korean Studies, said the city’s ...

Just wrapping up - Macleans.ca

Just wrapping up
Macleans.ca, Canada -12 hours ago
Although I agree that the business of the humanities is not to directly save the world or bring revenue, Fish's ... Dale, You will be able to find the G&M ...
Something you don’t see every dayMacleans.ca
all 2 news articles


Dallas Institute of Humanities and Culture renames its Summer ... - Dallas Morning News

Dallas Institute of Humanities and Culture renames its Summer ...
Dallas Morning News, TX -Jul 18, 2008
The Teachers Academy of The Dallas Institute of Humanities and Culture has renamed its Summer Institute for Teachers, now 25 years old, the Sue Rose Summer ...

Director named for Office of Security and Emergency Preparedness. - Red and Black

Director named for Office of Security and Emergency Preparedness.
Red and Black, GA -1 hour ago
This transformation is the focus of University researchers who received a three-year grant to establish a pedagogical model for re-connecting the humanities...

An Idaho Poet - Boise Weekly

Boise Weekly

An Idaho Poet
Boise Weekly,  USA -23 hours ago
In 2005, he was awarded the state's Outstanding Achievement in the Humanities award. But Studebaker will perhaps be remembered most for the words he left ...

Rose State College schedules enrollment - NewsOK.com (subscription)

NewsOK.com (subscription)

Rose State College schedules enrollment
NewsOK.com (subscription), OK -4 hours ago
Rose State offers course work in the areas of humanities, social sciences, engineering and science, health sciences and business and information technology. ...