Spanish Travel Tips
Some of the first national flags flown from European wooden flag poles displayed a fairly simple design. Tricolor type flags were and remain popular among European countries, nations and states. Many flags, if not the majority, feature either three horizontal or vertical stripes, usually in different colors. The most known tricolor flag is probably the French Tricolore, which has been “in business” for many decades.
The Libyan national flag is likely the most simply designed flag on earth! Featuring one single color and no other elements, this banner has been hoisted on Libyan flagpoles for years. With the ongoing revolution and the current political climate I would not be surprised that changes to the national flag’s design are imminent.
The national Spanish flag is considered a European historical flag. On 29 August 1936, General Franco decreed that the national flag that was used for so many years till 1931 should be the flag and civil ensign of Spain. Since then, the state flag is always with the arms, which changed in 1938, 1945, 1977 and 1981. Franco was in office till 1975, and was succeeded by Luis Carrero Blanco.
The regional flag of Catalonia featured similar color as the Spanish civil ensign. Hoisted on regional flagpoles, this flag displays the stripes of the medieval arms of Catalonia, arranged horizontally. Interestingly, the use of this flag was stamped as illegal from 1939 to 1975.
The use of the colors in the Spanish national flag are taken from the dominant ones in these arms, and the modern flag was created out of them in 1785, originally with the arms of Castile and Leon on the yellow colored strip. The republic of ’31 did away with flying this flag from Spanish flag poles, which some years later was restored by France, who also created a new form of the arms.
Some other regional community flags include the ones hoisted on regional flagpoles by the communities of the Basque Country and Navarre. The white cross on the Basque Country ensign is a symbol of the Catholic faith, and the green saltire stands for the holy oak of Guernica, and the red field commemorates the lives that were lost in the community’s battle for independence from Spain. This flag was in fact illegal for many years, from ’36 till ’77.
Spanish flag-protocol states that the national flag can only be flown horizontally from Spanish flagpoles in and around, or better said near, buildings considered public, but also residential type homes, companies, on water type vessels and public squares. Like “Old Glory,” this ensign has to be lit correctly in order for it to remain on display at night-time. Half-staffing is also a common practice in this part of the world for purposes of mourning and such.
I love the instruct on topics that relate to Old Glory and flag poles.
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