Flag of Monaco

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Flag of Monaco
Flag of Monaco
Use Civil and state flag and ensign. Civil and state flag, civil and state ensign Image:IFIS Normal.png
Proportion 4:5 (or 2:3)
Adopted 4 April 1881
Design two equal horizontal bands of red and white
Variant flag of Monaco
Variant flag of Monaco

The national flag of Monaco has two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white. It is similar to the flag of Indonesia, which is longer, and to the flag of Poland in distress (upside down). Red and white have been the heraldic colors of the House of Grimaldi since 1339 at least, but the design of the flag has changed with time.

Monaco's original flag, which was similar to its current State Flag but bore an older version of its coat of arms, was in use from the principality's early days (except during its annexation to France from 1793 to 1814) until the present, simpler design was adopted on April 4, 1881.

Another design (below), the banner of the state arms (lozenges in the Grimaldi family colors, in heraldic terms "lozengy argent and gules"), was used at various times, particularly in the 1600s, as an unofficial flag, and still appears in some royal photographs; however, it has no designated use, and does not represent any Monegasque official in particular.

Except for its proportions, the flag of Monaco is identical to the Flag of Indonesia.

Contents

[edit] State flag

Monaco's state flag, which consists of the full achievement of the coat of arms on a white background, is flown at government offices, the Prince's palace, in the presence of government officials, and as an ensign on the Prince's yacht.

[edit] Princely standard

The princely standard, which consisted of the Crown of Monaco over two opposing letters A on a white background, was the personal flag of Prince Albert II, and was only used in his immediate presence, particularly on cars in which he traveled. It was often seen with a gold fringe on the top, bottom, and right, which is one-ninth the height of the white field.

[edit] Notes

  1. Sources disagree as to the flag's usage. According to Flags of the World it is ; according to the World Flag Database it is ; and according to Whitney Smith's Flags Through the Ages and Across the World (1975), it is .

[edit] References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:


v • d • e
Flags of Europe
Sovereign
states
Dependencies,
autonomies,
other territories
Italics indicates an unrecognised or partially recognised country. 1 Entirely in Southwest Asia.  2 Partially or entirely in Asia, depending on the border definitions.  3 / 4 / 5 / 6 Has part of its territory in Asia / North America / South America / Africa.  7 / 8 Entirely on the North American Plate / African Plate.
v • d • e
National flags and coats of arms
National flags
National coats of arms