Flag of Gibraltar

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Gibraltar
Flag of Gibraltar.svg
Flag of Gibraltar
Use Civil and state flag
Proportion1:2
Adopted8 November 1982
DesignA white field with a red stripe at the bottom with a three-towered, two-tiered red castle in the white section. Each tower has a door and a window and from the door of the middle tower hangs a gold key which mainly overlaps the red stripe.
Union Flag
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg
Use Other
Proportion1:2
DesignFlag of the United Kingdom
State ensign of Gibraltar
Government Ensign of Gibraltar.svg
Use State ensign
Proportion1:2
Adopted1998 (1875)
DesignBlue Ensign with the Union Flag in the canton and the badge of Gibraltar in the fly.
Civil ensign of Gibraltar
Civil Ensign of Gibraltar.svg
Use Civil ensign
Proportion1:2
Adopted1998
DesignRed Ensign with the Union Flag in the canton and the badge of Gibraltar in the fly.
Flag of the governor of Gibraltar
Flag of the Governor of Gibraltar.svg
Use Other
Proportion1:2
DesignA Union Flag defaced with the coat of arms.

The flag of Gibraltar is an elongated banner of arms based on the coat of arms of Gibraltar, granted by Royal Warrant from Queen Isabella I of Castile on 10 July 1502. [1] The flag of Gibraltar is unique as it is the only British Overseas Territory which does not feature the Union Jack in any form, although the latter is widely flown as a standalone flag within the territory.

Contents

Description

Flag of Gibraltar atop a building Flag of Gibraltar (42779892680).jpg
Flag of Gibraltar atop a building

"An escutcheon on which the upper two thirds shall be a white field and on the said field set a red castle, and below the said castle, on the other third of the escutcheon, which must be a red field in which there must be a white line between the castle and the said red field, there shall be a golden key which hangs by a chain from the said castle, as are here figured". [2]

The flag was regularised in 1982 and is formed by two horizontal bands of white (top, double width) and red with a three-towered red castle in the centre of the white band; [3] hanging from the castle gate is a gold key centred in the red band. The flag differs from that of other British overseas territories, in that it is not a British ensign nor does it feature the Union Jack in any form. The castle does not resemble any in Gibraltar but is supposed to represent the fortress of Gibraltar. The key is said to symbolise the fortress' significance as Gibraltar was seen to be the key to Spain by the Moors and Spanish and later as the key to the Mediterranean by the British.[ citation needed ]

Use

The flag is flown throughout Gibraltar, sometimes officially alongside the Union Flag and the Commonwealth Flag. Prominent places which fly the flag include the frontier with Spain, at the top of The Rock and on the Parliament Building. [4]

The flag is a symbol of Gibraltarian nationalism and is very popular among Gibraltarians. For the Gibraltar National Day (10 September), many Gibraltar homes and offices hang the flag from their windows and balconies, and some individuals even wear and dress their vehicles with the flag for national day celebrations. This was also seen during the 2004 celebrations of the tercentenary of British Gibraltar.[ citation needed ]

Gibraltarian students attending university abroad have been known to take Gibraltarian flags with them, putting them up in university accommodation rooms and hanging them from windows.[ citation needed ]

A Lego flag of Gibraltar 4 metres (10') high and 8 metres (30') long can be seen at the John Mackintosh Hall, which is a cultural centre housing the public library as well as exhibition rooms and a theatre. At the time of its construction, the Lego flag of Gibraltar was the largest flag ever to be made from Lego bricks with a total of 393,857 bricks being used. [5] [ verification needed ]

Historical flags

Government Ensigns

Governor's flags

Other flags

See also

Related Research Articles

The history of Gibraltar portrays how The Rock gained an importance and a reputation far exceeding its size, influencing and shaping the people who came to reside here over the centuries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National flag</span> Flag of a country or nation

A national flag is a flag that represents and symbolizes a given nation. It is flown by the government of that nation, but can also be flown by its citizens. A national flag is typically designed with specific meanings for its colours and symbols, which may also be used separately from the flag as a symbol of the nation. The design of a national flag is sometimes altered after the occurrence of important historical events. The burning or destruction of a national flag is a greatly symbolic act.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Union Jack</span> National flag of the United Kingdom

The Union Jack, or Union Flag, is the de facto national flag of the United Kingdom. Although no law has been passed making the Union Flag the official national flag of the United Kingdom, it has effectively become such through precedent. The Union Flag was also used as the official flag of several British colonies and dominions before they adopted their own national flags. The flag continues to have official status in Canada, by parliamentary resolution, where it is known as the Royal Union Flag.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flag of Newfoundland and Labrador</span> Flag adopted 1980

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ensign (flag)</span> Maritime flag used for national identification of ships

The ensign is a maritime flag that is used for the national identification of a ship. The ensign is the largest flag, generally flown at the stern (rear) of the ship while in port. In ports, depending on the ship's origin, it is sometimes identical with a jack on the bow of the ship. Jacks are more common on warships than on merchant ships.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flag of England</span> National flag

The flag of England is the national flag of England, a constituent country of the United Kingdom. It is derived from Saint George's Cross. The association of the red cross as an emblem of England can be traced back to the Late Middle Ages when it was gradually, increasingly, used alongside the Royal Banner. It became the only saint's flag permitted to be flown in public as part of the English Reformation and at a similar time became the pre-eminent maritime flag referred to as a white ensign. It was used as a component in the design of the Union Jack in 1606.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red Ensign</span> Civil ensign of the United Kingdom

The Red Ensign or "Red Duster" is the civil ensign of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It is one of the British ensigns, and it is used either plain or defaced with either a badge or a charge, mostly in the right half.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British ensign</span> British maritime flag

In British maritime law and custom, an ensign is the identifying flag flown to designate a British ship, either military or civilian. Such flags display the United Kingdom Union Flag in the canton, with either a red, white or blue field, dependent on whether the vessel is civilian, naval, or in a special category. These are known as the red, white, and blue ensigns respectively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coat of arms of Ontario</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flag of Portugal</span> National flag

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flag of the British Virgin Islands</span> National flag

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flag of the Cayman Islands</span> National flag

The flag of the Cayman Islands consists of a Blue Ensign defaced with the British overseas territory's coat of arms. Adopted in 1959 to supplement the Union Jack and to replace the flag of the Colony of Jamaica, it has been the flag of the Cayman Islands since the territory was granted self-government that year. The design of the present flag entailed removing the white disc and outlining the coat of arms with a white trim, although the previous version is often used in an official capacity. The Cayman Islands' flag is similar to the flags of eight other British Overseas Territories, which are also Blue Ensigns with their respective coats of arms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flag of the Gambia</span> National flag

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">White Ensign</span> British ensign with white field and St Georges cross

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canadian Red Ensign</span> Flag which served as Canadas flag before 1965

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flag of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands</span> British Overseas Territory created in 1985

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coat of arms of Gibraltar</span> National coat of arms of Gibraltar

The coat of arms of Gibraltar was first granted by a Royal Warrant passed in Toledo on 10 July 1502 by Isabella I of Castile during Gibraltar's Spanish period. The arms consists of an escutcheon and features a three-towered red castle under which hangs a golden key.

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References

  1. "Gibraltar Flag, Colors, Gibraltar Flag Meaning, Pictures, Facts". Altiusdirectory.com. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 15 October 2017.
  2. "National symbols - Government of Gibraltar". Gibraltar.gov.gi. Archived from the original on 13 November 2014. Retrieved 15 October 2017.
  3. "Flag of Gibraltar, Gibraltar Flag, National Flag of Gibraltar". Senojflags.com. Archived from the original on 16 October 2017. Retrieved 15 October 2017.
  4. "britishflags.net- Gibraltar". Britishflags.net. Archived from the original on 18 October 2009. Retrieved 15 October 2017.
  5. "Gibraltar Sightseeing and Attractions". Gibraltar.com. Retrieved 24 January 2018.