History and meaning of the flag:
The flag of Greece is a rectangular cloth with horizontal equal-area alternating five blue and four white stripes. In the roof there is an image of a straight (Greek) cross white... The width of the flag relates to its length as 2: 3. The modern flag was adopted on December 27, 1978.
In colloquial Greek, because of its color scheme, it is often called "κυανόλευκη" ([kyano lefki]) or γαλανόλευκη ([galano lefki]), which means blue and white.
Symbolism and origin of flowers
There is no official interpretation of the colors of the Greek national flag. According to one of the common interpretations, blue symbolizes the sea and / or sky, white - sea foam... According to another interpretation, 9 stripes symbolize 9 syllables of the national motto of Greece "Ελευθερία ή θάνατος" ("Freedom or death", E-lef-te-ri-ya and Ta-na-tos) and / or 9 letters in the word "Ελευθερία" ("freedom"). There is also a version that the stripes symbolize 9 muses - the goddesses of art and sciences.
The combination of white and blue has been used since antiquity. According to Greek researchers, the first combination of these colors was used on the shield of the ancient Greek hero Achilles. The army of Alexander the Great served under the blue and white banners. In times Byzantine Empire white and blue colors were used on the coats of arms of the imperial dynasties, noble families, as well as in the vestments of the emperor and the throne of the Patriarch of Constantinople.
Brief information about the country
Greece (Greek Ελλάδα, Elláda), official name- The Greek Republic (Greek Ελληνική Δημοκρατία, Ellīnikī Dīmokratía) is a state in Southern Europe. The population, according to estimates for 2010, is more than 11.3 million people, the territory is 131,957 km². It occupies seventy-third place in the world in terms of population and ninety-fifth in terms of territory.
The capital is the city of Athens. Official language- Greek.
Unitary state, parliamentary republic. In March 2015, Prokopis Pavlopoulos took over as president. It is subdivided into 13 regions.
Located on the Balkan Peninsula and numerous islands. It is washed by the Aegean (including the Ikarian Sea) and Thracian seas in the east, the Ionian in the west, in the south - by the Mediterranean and Cretan seas. It has a land border with Albania, the Republic of Macedonia and Bulgaria, in the north-east and east - with Turkey.
About 98% of the population are Orthodox Christians. Modern Greece is the heir to culture Ancient Greece, considered the cradle of Western civilization, the birthplace of democracy and Western philosophy, the basic principles of physical and mathematical sciences, theater and the modern Olympic Games. Rich cultural heritage and geographical position make Greece one of the most visited countries in the world.
Industrial-agrarian country with a dynamically developing economy. The volume of GDP in purchasing power parity for 2011 amounted to USD 294.339 billion (about USD 24,543 per capita). The monetary unit is the euro.
The country's independence was proclaimed on March 25, 1821. Prior to that, she was part of the Ottoman Caliphate.
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The flag is a symbol of an independent country and the people living in it. When proclaiming a new state, they solemnly raised the flag. He is given the highest honors and his dignity is protected. Insulting the flag is tantamount to insulting the nation and the honor of the state. The colors of the flag of any country reflect its history and have special meaning. The flag of Greece is no exception to these rules and it is surrounded by legends as well.
The flag of the state of Greece combines the colors similar to this country - blue and white.
Nine stripes - five of which are blue, and four are white - are located along the entire panel.
In the left corner, in a blue square, is a white cross.
"Galanolevki" or "Kianolevki"(blue and white) - this is how the Greeks call their flag.
What do the symbols on the banner mean? There are several different explanations for this combination.
According to the first legend, nine stripes are a symbol of nine syllables of the slogan "Freedom or Death", under which the resistance to the Turkish invaders took place. He called on patriots to fight, giving them strength and courage.
Another option says about the correspondence of nine stripes to the number of characters in a word «ελευθερία» , which means "freedom" in translation. They contained the whole spirit of the freedom-loving Hellenes.
From other sources it follows that the five oceans are five blue stripes, and the foam of the waves and clouds is the white color of the banner.
Another legend attributes the number of stripes to nine Greek muses, goddesses of science and art.
The symbol of Christianity in Greece is the white cross on a blue background, which is also the sign for which the resistance fighters fought against the Ottoman invaders.
The tests of time have finally formed the banner, which has become the pride of a country with a huge, centuries-old legendary history.
Flag history
For almost four centuries, Greece was under the rule of the Turkish conquerors, who began to seize the country from the then largest city of Thessaloniki.
Moving inland, the Turkish army conquered it almost completely.
And only the 19th century was marked for Greece by the beginning of the struggle against the Ottoman yoke for its independence.
As the first legend says, in 1807 on the island of Skiathos, the priest Niphon raised the blue and white flag of the reviving Greece, and on it the commanders of the Hellenic partisan detachments took an oath of allegiance.
1821 year is considered the official start of the resistance movement. Metropolitan Herman blessed him to fight the Turks under a white banner with one large blue cross passing through the entire canvas of the banner. This event took place on the holy feast of the Annunciation.
Another legend tells of a fortress besieged by the Turks, in which freedom fighters raised a blue and white flag. It was sewn from a monk's robe blue and white skirts, which were then part of the clothing of the soldiers of the resistance movement.
1822 year- the country proclaimed independence, and a light blue banner with a white cross became the flag of the state.
1832 year- the state approved a blue and white flag with the above-described nine stripes.
1833 year- the country is under the protectorate of three great powers: Russia, France and England. King Otto I came to the throne, he liked the Greek banner, as its colors echoed with the shades of the coat of arms of Bavaria. Therefore, the original symbol of Greece was completely restored, except for changing the background to more light shade.
1863 year marked by the expulsion of the king and the coming to power of the Glucksburgs, a Danish dynasty that changed the light shade of blue to dark blue.
For a long time, several flags were used in Greece at once, and all of them were recognized as official.
The state flag was considered to be a completely blue banner with a large white cross running through the entire panel, and a royal crown in its center. The national one was distinguished by the absence of a crown on it.
Abroad, in ports and on civilian ships, a nine-lane banner was developed, having in the left upper corner blue square with white cross.
This system existed before the establishment of the republic.
In 1923 the only banner was chosen, which is still in use.
1935 year- the monarchical system of government was restored with King George II, for whom the majority of the country's population spoke.
1941 year- Nazi Germany invaded the territory of Greece, the government and the king immigrated. The liberation front took over the fight against the invaders.
At this time, a red circle and a triangle inscribed in it appeared on the flag in the middle of the cross. This banner was raised during the battles against the Nazis and the British who occupied the country. in 1945-49.
1944 year- return to Greece of the escaped government, which restored the early system when several flags were present.
1970 year- return of the flag of 1863.
1975 year- a banner with a blue cloth and a white cross becomes a common symbol. Nine-lane is still used, but unofficially.
1978 year- accepted final version flag, which is valid until today.
National emblem.
The coat of arms is a distinctive sign of the country, which combines figures that symbolize its historical traditions.
1822 -28 years- the government seal was used in the form of a coat of arms.
The goddess Athena and the owl are the images that were present on the seal.
Further in 1828 -32 years the role of the coat of arms was played by the seal of the Hellenic republic, on which stood "1821" - the year of the republic's appearance and depicts the phoenix bird - the heroine Greek mythology rising from the ashes.
During the reign of King Otto I in 1833 -62 years, the coat of arms of the Greek kingdom was the coat of arms of Bavaria.
It was a quadrangular shield, divided into four parts. In the middle of it was another small shield, divided into azure and silver.
In one of the four parts of the large shield, a lion with a protruding tongue and arms was depicted on a black background, the other part was crossed by a broken line into silver and the color red, a favorite in heraldry.
Want to know more about the island of Zakynthos in Greece? you can find out the complete information.
The third part was decorated with an azure panther, spewing red flames and having a golden weapon. It was located on a silver field. The fourth part had three leopards marching on a lion against a gold background.
The shield is topped with a golden crown adorned with magenta and azure gems. He is supported by rebellious lions with scarlet tongues resting on a golden base.
This coat of arms replaced the coat of arms of the Glucksburg dynasty, which represented Greece. from 1863 to 1924.
The next coat of arms of the Kingdom of Greece appeared under King George II and existed from 1936 to 1973.
Today, the coat of arms of Greece is a shield in azure tone separated by a silvery cross.
The shield is surrounded by a wreath of laurel leaves, which is considered a symbol of the winners of the Olympiads ancient country... He is the glory of the warriors, and the cross means the Christianity of Greece.
The coat of arms of the country can have two options for the combination of colors - it is silver and azure or blue and white.
The army uses a coat of arms with a golden laurel wreath. The multicolored coat of arms with green laurel leaves is intended for widespread use.
National anthem
The national anthem is, of course, dedicated to freedom.
His words were written by a resident of the island of Zakynthos Dionysis Solomos in 1823.
Then the country fought for its independence, and the anthem became the meaning of the national unity of the rebels.
He was a stimulus to the liberation struggle, a powerful ideological weapon.
In 1824, the hymn became widespread after its publication not only in Greek, but also in italian... But there was no specific music for the verses.
It was only in 1828 that Nikolaos Manzaros wrote a melody that logically completed the formation of the anthem. The music included notes of sorrow, pathos and triumph - exactly what found great combination with patriotic verses.
It should be noted here that the hymn consists of 158 lines. The patriotic poet wanted to put so much into this work that he could not stop at the smaller size of the verse.
During the awards ceremony and on the days of national celebrations, only the first two quatrains of the anthem are sung.
If you are interested in the heraldic values of Greece, if you wish, you can study them in more detail, delving into the heroic and legendary history of this country.
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The flag of Greece had the appearance of nine alternating stripes of blue and white. In the upper left corner there is a blue square with a white cross inside.
Greece has been under the Turkish yoke since the 15th century. The Greeks have long been considered a traditional blue color. That is why a special flag was installed for Greek ships in the Ottoman Empire - on a red background, like the Turkish flag, there is a blue stripe. Flags with a white stripe were sometimes seen, especially in Crete. The cross was a traditional symbol of the struggle of Orthodox Greeks for liberation from the oppressive power of Muslim Turkey. In the 18th century, Greek patriots acquired flags with a white cross. The popular uprising, which broke out in 1821 and then continued in 1829, took place under a wide variety of banners with a variety of images of crosses, the phoenix, the Mother of God and saints. Most often, the color of the crosses was blue or red. The red canvas with a white cross has become the most common insurgent flag since 1821. But there were other options, for example, a red cross on a gray or white background. In Greece, the color red did not gain popularity.
In 1822, the blue flag with a white cross was adopted as the official state, and the independence of Greece was proclaimed. There is a legend about the origin of the blue and white flag. The legend says that defending one of the monasteries from the Turks, the rebels raised above it a blue-and-white banner made of a nun's blue cassock and a white soldier's skirt. The flag of five horizontal white stripes and four black ones became the state flag in 1832. In 1833, the 1822 flag with a white cross was restored again. This year Greece was proclaimed a kingdom. Whether it was a coincidence or not, the colors of the Greek flag coincided with the colors of the Bavarian flag and coat of arms. Under King Otgon, the background of the Greek flag turned blue.
Representatives of the Danish dynasty began to occupy the throne in 1863. The hue of the Greek flag changed to dark blue with them. After that, several different flags existed in the country at the same time. The traditional flag with a cross was internal and featured a royal crown. The outer flag was identical except for the missing crown. As national symbol outside Greece, a blue and white stripe flag was used with a blue circle in the center showing a white cross. In 1923 the flag with nine stripes became the only one.
During the occupation, the flag of the Greek Liberation Front was a blue canvas with a white cross, in the center of the cross was a red triangle inscribed in a circle. In 1945-1949, Greek patriots fought against the British invaders under the same flag. The emigrant government of Greece, which returned in 1944, used the old flags.
After the dictatorship of the "black colonels" was established in Greece in 1970, the nine-band flag with a cross in a circle became the national flag. An identical flag, only with a crown in the center, became the state flag. Greece was proclaimed a republic in 1973, but the crown remained on the flag. In 1975, after the overthrow of the regime, the only flag was declared a blue flag with a white cross. Then, in 1978, the nine-lane flag with a cross in the canopy was finally adopted.
Flag of greece popularly called "kiano-lefki" what with Greek translated as "blue-white". This is a rectangular panel with a ratio of 2 to 3 with alternating stripes: 5 blue and 4 white. There is a white cross on a blue background in the upper left corner of the flag.
The symbolism of the Greek flag is ambiguous, there is no official interpretation of colors and stripes. Most Greeks believe that blue symbolizes the sea, and white symbolizes sea foam... The colors of the Greek flag have been used in the symbols of the country since ancient times, including in the army of Alexander the Great. Perhaps the blue and white range is associated with the traditional colors of Bavaria, which was the birthplace of the first king of Greece.
Also there are several equally common versions about the meaning of nine bands on the flag:
The word "freedom" in the Greek motto "Liberty or Death" consists of 9 letters;
- the motto "Freedom or Death" has 9 syllables;
- in ancient Greek mythology, there were 9 muses who patronized art and science.
The white cross in the upper corner, according to the most popular version, means the Christian religion, which the people of Greece adhere to. The history of the flag of Greece began in 1822, when it was adopted by the interim government. It was a white St. George cross on a blue background. It was used for about a century and a half, and in 1978 it was supplemented with stripes.
A separate law is dedicated to the use of the Greek flag, according to which it can be hung both on land and at sea. Ordinary citizens of the country can use the flag only in certain days or during sporting events. You need to hang the banner in such a way that the cross is on the left.
The coat of arms of Greece is designed in a similar colors, it also uses the image of the St.George cross. It is an azure-colored shield with a silver cross, which is often depicted as white on a blue background, as in a flag. The shield is surrounded by a laurel wreath, reminiscent of ancient history Greece. Wreaths woven from laurel branches were awarded to the winners of the ancient Olympic Games - today it is a well-known symbol of Greece. Officially, the coat of arms is two-color with a white-blue wreath, for civil use the wreath on the coat of arms has green color, in the Greek Armed Forces, it is painted in a golden hue.
Modern the coat of arms of Greece was adopted in 1975, but the history of its origin dates back to 1833, when a blue and white cross appeared on the official coat of arms of the Kingdom of Greece. He has undergone changes more than once, losing various elements- lions, armed warriors, crowns, until it acquired its modern look.
The modern flag of the Hellenic Republic - a small unitary state located in Southern Europe - is a banner rectangular which depicts nine horizontal stripes white and blue flowers... There is a blue flag at the top left of the flag. square box, inside which there is a white cross with rays of the same length.
Greece flag on Olympic Games traditionally rises first. The blue and white banner, with a special arrangement of the cross and an odd number of stripes, marks the opening ceremony of the most important sporting events the world. After all, the tradition of holding the Olympics originated precisely in Ancient Greece in 776 BC. NS. In this article, we will tell you about how the main state symbol of the country has changed over the centuries, what it personified and how it inspired the Greek people during the liberation wars against the Turkish conquerors.
What does the modern flag of Greece symbolize?
The banner of the Hellenic Republic represents their country, freedom and God's wisdom. The nine stripes on the flag remind of the nine syllables of the national motto, which marked the country's liberation from the Turkish yoke in the war of 1821-1829. - "Eleftheria and Thanatos!" (translated means "Freedom or Death!"). They also symbolize the nine geographical regions of the Hellenic Republic - Macedonia, Thessaly, Thrace, Epirus, Peloponnesus, Ionian Islands, Crete, Aegean Islands and Central Greece from about. Euboea. In general, for the Greeks, the number 9 has a sacred meaning.
The cross denotes the Christian religion, the people's faith in God and the huge role of the Greek Orthodox Church in a difficult war of liberation. The white color of the cross and four stripes symbolizes primordiality, peace, purity of ideals, and the sacred character of the struggle for independence. The national flag of Greece is also blue. He personifies a peaceful and cloudless sky, the blessing of the Lord God to fight, as well as the seas - Cretan, Aegean, Mediterranean and Ionian, washing greek islands... Now you know what the Greek flag symbolizes. The photo shows what the most important symbol of state power looks like today.
How has the Greek flag evolved over time?
Over the centuries, Greece has changed more than once, and, of course, along with it, national symbols have also changed. In the days of Ancient and Hellenistic Greece, flags did not exist as such. Instead of banners, emblems were used, which were placed on the sails of ships and shields of warriors. Such signs symbolized belonging to a policy. It is believed that the first flags to appear on the territory of Greece were the ancient Roman military standards, which were called vexillums. They were rectangular pieces of cloth attached to a crossbar perpendicular to the shaft. Vexillums were used during the battle to designate various military units, as well as as a battle banner on admiral's ships or over the tents of generals.
Labarums of the Byzantine emperors
In the Byzantine period Greek history the flags continued to serve as battle standards. The most important of them at that time were the so-called labarums - the banners of the Byzantine emperors. The surviving sources ("Madrid Chronicles") report that the flag of Ancient Greece was often carried in blue and red colors. Usually, in the center of the cloth of the labarums, Christian symbols were placed - the cross, the faces of the saints, Jesus Christ or the Mother of God. In the 14th century, the first state flag appeared in the Byzantine Empire, which ruled almost all Greek territories. It was a square-shaped cloth divided into four parts. In two quarters, a red color was placed on a white background. In the other two - the image of the banner of the last dynasty of Byzantine rulers, the Palaeologus.
What flag did Greece have during the Ottoman rule?
In 1389 the Turks, having defeated the Serbs and Bulgarians, headed south to Greece. Athens fell under the onslaught of the invading army in 1458, and the Peloponnese in 1460. By 1500, almost all of the territories of lowland Greece and most of the islands were under the yoke of the Ottoman Empire. One of the most difficult periods in the history of the Greek people has come. However, the Turks granted the Greeks freedom of religion and allowed the use of traditional symbols. For example, detachments of Greek volunteer soldiers as part of the Turkish troops flew under a special flag until 1619. It depicted a cross, as well as a victorious dragon. In the 17th century, private merchant ships of the Greeks sailed under a special commercial tricolor with two red and one blue stripes. How the flag of Greece looked at that time can be seen in the following photo.
Red meant Ottoman Empire and the blue is the Greek people. This standard was used until 1830. Also, since 1774, after the signing of the Kuchuk-Kainardzhi agreement, Greek merchant ships were allowed to sail under the Russian banner.
Greek flag in the late 18th - early 19th century
During the Second Peloponnesian Uprising of 1770 (against the oppression of the Turks), the Greeks began to use special white cloths with George cross blue. Later, such a banner became a symbol of the struggle of Greek Christians against the Ottoman oppressors.
Over time, an overturned crescent was added to the flag. The cross began to be depicted over it. In 1800, the first Greek state was formed in the Ionian Islands, free from Turkish rule. What flag did Greece have then? Until 1863, the banner was a blue cloth, which depicted a golden Saint Mark holding one paw on a book. In 1815, a red border was added, and in 1817 - the British Union Jack (as a sign of British patronage).
Flags of the country during the People's Liberation War
In the 20s of the 19th century, various movements arose on the territory of Greece, which had their own banners. The rebels of the islands of the Ionian Sea created a flag for themselves, which has three stripes - white, red and green. On the flag, at the staff, a black movement was depicted. The movement, led by Nikoforos Fokas, was marked by a flag consisting of four white and five blue stripes. In the upper left part of the cloth there was a white cross and the inscription "With this you will win!" The movement, led by Alexander Ypsilanta, had a flag consisting of black, red and white stripes. Also on the cloth were depicted the scene of the erection of the Cross of the Lord by Saints Constantine and Helena and the phoenix reborn from the flame. The banner also contained the inscriptions: "With him you will win!" and "Rise from the Ashes". You can see what the Greek flag of the early 19th century looks like in the following photo.
In 1821 it became the first official symbol of the country and was consecrated by the Metropolitan. True, after the movement was defeated, this symbol disappeared without a trace. In March 1821, another banner appeared in Greece - a dark red flag, in the center of which was a black cross and an inverted crescent moon below it. Then the black cross was replaced with a white one. This banner became known as the national flag.
Flags of Greece in the first half of the 19th century
In March 1822, the provisional government of Greece issued a decree, which approved the national, naval, and also the flag of the armed forces. The first was a rectangular blue cloth, in the center of which there was a white St. George's cross. The second consisted of nine alternating stripes of blue and white, with a cross in the first quarter. The third was the same as the first.
In 1832 the monarchy was established and the flag of Greece was modified. An image of a crown with a shield was added to the cloth. The latter was removed after the abdication of King Otto I. In 1941-1944. the Greek People's Liberation Army led fighting against the German invaders under the blue flag, in the center of the cross of which was placed the outline of a triangle inscribed in a circle. The flag of Greece was changed again in 1967 when the so-called military junta headed by Georgios Papadopoulos came to power. The image of the crown was removed from the panel. From 1974 to 1978, after the overthrow of the junta, the blue flag with the St. George's Cross was used again. And in December 1978, the state and National flag Greece, as we see it today.
