What are the symbols of the Portuguese flag?
What are the symbols of the Portuguese flag?
The Portuguese flag displays three important symbols: the field colours, and the armillary sphere and national shield, which make up the coat of arms. Despite the fact that the colours of red and green had never constituted a major part of the national flag until 1910, they were present in several historical banners during important periods.
What was the national flag of Portugal in 1692?
An ordinance of 1692 expressly banned the use of this flag by the Portuguese merchant ships, restricting its use to ships with 20 or more cannons and with a complement of 40 or more men. The Portuguese merchant ships flew instead green and white striped flags, which were the national colours of Portugal at that time.
Why was the Red Cross used as the flag of Portugal?
The red cross of the Order of Christ was used over a white field as a naval pennon during the Discoveries and frequently on ship sails. A green background version was a popular standard of the rebellious during the 1640 revolution that restored Portugal’s independence from Spain.
Where are the laurel wreaths on the Portuguese flag?
The colour division is made in a way that green spans 2⁄5 of the length and the remaining 3⁄5 are filled by red (ratio 2:3). The lesser version of the national coat of arms (without the laurel wreaths )—a white-rimmed national shield on top of a black-highlighted yellow armillary sphere —is positioned over the border between both colours.
What is the aspect ratio of the Portuguese flag?
The flag’s length is equal to 1 1⁄ 2 times its width, which translates into an aspect ratio of 2:3. The background is vertically divided into two colours: dark green on the hoist side, and scarlet red on the fly.
What was the flag of Portugal in 1910?
This flag is similar to the flag of Portugal used between 1830 and 1910, except that the Portuguese coat of arms has been replaced by nine five-sided stars in a semi-circular arch over a stylized golden goshawk (in Portuguese: Açor ), the symbol of the Azores, positioned over the border of the two bands. Flag of the Autonomous Region of Madeira.
How big is the armillary sphere on the Portuguese flag?
The armillary sphere has a diameter equal to 1⁄2 height and is equidistant from the upper and lower edges of the flag. The sphere, drawn in perspective, possesses six edge-embossed arcs, four of which are great circles and two are small circles .
