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The Galician National FlagWhat's in this section? » History of the modern Galician flag » The St Andrew's Cross on the Galician flag » The State Flag You may also want to visit these pages: » Flag flying days in Galicia » A Song to the Galician Flag ("Stand up!", 1917) » Galician flags in your computer » Historical flag of the Kingdom of Galicia » Historical flag of the Swabian kings of Gallaecia |
The modern national flag of Galicia was born in the 19th century as a copy of the Naval flag of the City of Corunna. The 19th century was a dark period in the history of Galicia. Many thousands of Galicians were emigrating to the Americas every month to escape from the economical and political crisis that the country was suffering. Corunna was the main Galician port where most of them departed from. Tradition has it that the Galician emigrants thought that the Corunna Naval Flag flying on the emigrant ships was actually the flag of Galicia. Therefore, when they arrived to the new world they started flying the Corunna Naval Flag, believing that it was the flag of Galicia. Years later, the flag crossed the Atlantic back to the homeland, where it was officially adopted as the new National Flag of Galicia. "The Galician Flag has only two colours: white and blue. The field is white and a blue band crosses the flag from the top-right corner to the bottom-left". This description was published in 1898 in the newspaper "El Eco de Galicia", in La Habana, Cuba. | ||||||
 The
St Andrew's Cross on the Galician flagOriginally, the Naval Flag of Corunna was a blue St Andrew's Cross over a white field. St Andrew is the Patron Saint of Scotland and he is also one of the most popular saints in Galicia, where 72 parishes are devoted to him.
Most European flags are patterned on latin crosses, greek crosses, horizontal lines or vertical designs, but only two European national flags are based exclusively on diagonal designs: the Scottish saltire and the Galician flag. Similarly to the Scottish flag, the reason why the pattern on the Galician flag is diagonal is because it was inspired on the St Andrew's Cross. » Read the full article: The Cross of St Andrew, origin of the modern national Galician flag |
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The Galician Law of 29th May 1984 regulates the official colours, proportions and uses of the Galician national symbols. The national symbols of Galicia are the National Flag, which is the blue and white flag, the Coat of Arms of Galicia, and the State Flag, which is the result of adding the Coat of Arms over the National Flag. The Coat of Arms of Galicia was actually the former flag of the Kingdom of Galicia prior to the creation of the modern national flag in the 19th century. In the early 1980s The Royal Academy of Galicia asked the Galician Government (Xunta de Galicia) to incorporate the former flag of Galicia to the modern national flag. The result of that suggestion was the State Flag. The State Flag features the Galician Coat of Arms over the National Flag, and it is the the flag that must be displayed in all institutional events of the national and local governments in Galicia.  "The
flag of Galicia shall have the official Coat of Arms when displayed on public
buildings and institutional events in Galicia", Law 5/1984 of Symbols
of Galicia, Article 2.2.Recommended links: » Law 5/1984 of Symbols of Galicia, 29 May 1984 » Xunta de Galicia (The Galician Executive) » HimnoGallego.com > The Galician National Anthem » Anthem of the Kingdom of Galicia (MP3 1.995 K) » National Anthem of Galicia (instrumental) (MP3 2.236K) » National Anthem of Galicia (vocal) (MP3 1.916 K) » A Song to the Galician Flag ("Stand up!", 1917) | ||||
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Size: 150x90 cm (3'x5'). Material: polyester.» Two side metal rings allow the flag to be hoisted on a flagpole. » Please click here to see a list of Galician shops that sell this flag...» |
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St Andrew's Cross and the Scottish Flag
St Andrew's Cross and the Coruna Naval Flag, 1845-1891
Final outcome: the modern Galician flag
National flag
Arms of the Kingdom of Galicia
State flag of Galicia