A flag of Switzerland It is a national symbol of the country, and was officially adopted in the year 1848. One of its characteristics is its quadrangular format, which, in the world, is used only by another territory: the Vatican. The red color that makes up the background of the flag represents both the flag of the former canton of Bern and the blood of Christ. The religious symbolism also extends to the centralized white cross, whose origin goes back to the Battle of Laupen, in 1339.
Read too: Flag of Poland — another flag that features red and white as its national colors
Topics of this article
- 1 - Summary about the flag of Switzerland
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2 - Meaning of the flag of Switzerland
- → Meaning of the colors of the Swiss flag
- → Meaning of the symbols of the flag of Switzerland
- 3 - History of the flag of Switzerland
- 4 - Main characteristics of Switzerland
- 5 - Curiosities about the flag of Switzerland
Abstract about the flag of Switzerland
The flag of Switzerland has a quadrangular shape, differentiating it from other countries.
It is formed by a red background superimposed by a white cross, which presents arms of equal dimensions.
The colors have different interpretations.
The red comes from the flag of Bern during the 14th century, still representing the blood of Christ.
White represents Christianity, and the white cross was introduced into the flag of the Canton of Schwyz when Switzerland was made up of independent provinces and was part of the Roman Empire.
The white cross was also used by soldiers during the Battle of Laupen in 1339, identifying soldiers from Bern.
The current flag of Switzerland, with all the features we know, was officially used in 1848.
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Swiss flag meaning
The Swiss flag has a quadrangular shape, distinguishing it from the other national flags we know. The only other existing square flag in the world is that of vatican state. The red background of the Swiss flag is superimposed by a white cross, called the Swiss cross or federal cross, whose arms have the same dimensions, in addition to crossing exactly in the center of each other.
Generally speaking, the flag of Switzerland represents the formation history of the country and your freedom, having been officially adopted in 1848.
→ Switzerland flag colors meaning
Red and white are the colors of the Swiss flag and the national colors of that European nation. There is no consensus as to the meaning or origin of the colors present in the pavilion, and for this reason we present both explanations.
Red: it is believed to be representative of the blood of Christ, according to some interpretations. However, red was one of the colors present on the flag of Bern when the Swiss territory consisted of the Old Helvetic Confederation, between the 13th and 18th centuries.
White: is also a symbol of christianity, still referring to the period when Switzerland was part of the Roman Empire.
→ Meaning of Swiss flag symbols
The white cross is the symbol present on the flag of Switzerland and has more than one meaning linked to historical aspects of the country. It was introduced into the pavilion during the Roman Empire's rule over Swiss territory, at the time composed of several cantons (provinces), which acted independently.
The canton of Schwyz, one of the cantons that gave rise to the current country and which today remains one of its provinces, was authorized by the Romans to use the white cross on their red flag representing the Christian faith and the weapons of Christ.
Another version of the origin of the white cross on the Swiss flag comes from the Battle of Laupen, which took place in 1339. Soldiers who fought for the Canton of Bern and the Old Swiss Confederation sewed white crosses on their clothes to differentiate themselves from the others as a way of being able to identify themselves during the clashes.
Swiss flag history
the flag of switzerland originates during the period of domination of the Roman Empirebetween the twelfth and fourteenth centuries. The canton of Schwyz received the authorization to use, on its red flag, a white cross representing the Christian faith and the arms of Christ. It is known, however, that, although this territoriality has adopted a flag very similar to the current one of Switzerland, each canton had its own symbol, with no unity.
In the 13th century, three cantons came together and gave rise to the Old Helvetic Confederation. In 1339, this new territory was united with the canton of Bern in a dispute against territories under the rule of the Habsburgs, with the victory of the Bernese. During this period, to identify those who were fighting by his side, Allied soldiers from Berne sewed white crosses onto their uniforms, which is the origin of the symbol on the Swiss national flag.
Led by Napoleon Bonaparte, the French invaded Switzerland, which then became the Helvetic Republic (1798-1803). During that period, there was a flag redesign, which kept its square format, but started to be composed of three horizontal stripes, green, red and yellow, respectively, with the inscription in the center, in yellow letters: Helvetique Republic, in French.
After the end of the Helvetic Republic, Switzerland established an official flag only in the year 1848, gaining the characteristics we know today.
See too: Flag of Qatar — a flag representing the dignity and unity of the country's inhabitants
Main features of Switzerland
Switzerland is a european countrylocated in the central region of the continent, with capital in the city of Bern. Far from the influence of seafaring, the climate swiss is the tempered continental, marked by winters cold and summers love us. O relief of the country is marked by the presence of Swiss Alps and dasmJura mountains, Besides the formation of plateaus. To the forests temperate climates, in turn, help compose the country's natural framework.
More than 8.7 million people live in Switzerland today, of which approximately 75% live in urban centers such as Zurich and Bern, the two largest cities in the country. With high development rate, Switzerland is recognized for its modern and advanced economy, focused on sector tertiary, with services such as finance, and tourist activities. It is also notable for high quality of life that its population enjoys.
Facts about the Swiss flag
The flag of Switzerland is square because this is the shape of the military shields of the period in which it was conceived, in the mid-nineteenth century. Thus, the format was kept for the national flag.
At international events, such as the Olympic Games, Switzerland adopts the rectangular flag, following the pattern of the other countries.
On the Swiss National Day, celebrated on August 1st, the flag is displayed on several buildings and also in the streets.
A Red Cross is an organization founded by the Swiss Henri Dunant, and the proposed flag was a reverse version of the Swiss flag, in reference to the country: white background with the cross in red.
By Paloma Guitarrara
Geography Teacher
Click here and learn about the history of the Red Cross. Learn what was the inspiration for the emergence of the organization, and understand how it is currently structured.
Click here to access a set of maps of Europe and deepen your knowledge of the continent. Also read some curiosities about this region.
Find out which countries are in Europe. See the list of countries on the European continent and the regions in which they are located. Also find out what the European Union is.
Click here to learn all about Switzerland, a country in central Europe. Find out what are its main historical, economic and geographical aspects.
