Flag of Chile
This article needs additional citations for verification. (October 2007) |
Proportion | 2:3 |
---|---|
Adopted | 18 October 1817 |
Design | A horizontal bicolor of white and red with the blue square ended on the upper hoist-side corner of the white band bearing the white five-pointed star in the center. |
Designed by | Ignacio Zenteno or Gregorio de Andía y Varela. |
Presidential Standard | |
Design | Same design as the National Flag with the National Coat of Arms superimposed at the center. |
Designed by | Alfonso Martinez Delpelao |
Original design | |
Design | Design of the flag used from 1818 to 1912 with the star tilted. |
The flag of Chile consists of two equal-height horizontal bands of white and red, with a blue square the same height as the white band in the canton, which bears a white five-pointed star in the center. It was adopted on 18 October 1817. The Chilean flag is also known in Spanish as La Estrella Solitaria[1] (The Lone Star). It is the only flag in South America whose design was influenced by the flag of the United States.
It has a 3:2 ratio between length and width, it is divided horizontally into two bands of equal height (the lower being red). The upper area is divided once: into a square (blue), with a single centered white star; and into a rectangle (white), whose lengths are in proportion 1:2. It is in the stars and stripes flag family.
The star represents Venus, significant to the country's indigenous Mapuches,[2] symbolizing a guide to progress and honor while other interpretations say it refers to an independent state; blue symbolizes the sky and the Pacific Ocean, white is for the snow-covered Andes, and red stands for the blood spilled to achieve independence.[3]
According to the epic poem La Araucana, the colors were derived from those from the flag flown by the Mapuche during the Arauco War. "Flag Day" is held each year on the ninth of July to commemorate the 77 soldiers who died in the 1882 Battle of La Concepción.
History of Chile
Pre-Independence flags
The first records on the possible use of flags by indigenous peoples date back to the
Two flags have been documented as used by Mapuche troops. However, these descriptions were made late in the eighteenth century without certainty about the age of them. One consisted of a five-pointed white star on a blue background similar to the canton of the current Chilean flag, while the second had a white eight-pointed star centered on a blue diamond with border zigzagged over a black background. The latter flag appears to be waved by the chief Lautaro in the best-known artistic representation of it, created by painter Pedro Subercaseaux.[4]
The main symbol of this flag is the star of Arauco, called guñelve, representing the flower of the canelo and the bright star of Venus. In the independence of Chile, Bernardo O'Higgins said that guñelve was the direct inspiration for creating the Chilean flag with the Lone Star.[2][5]
In the case of the colonizing troops, they used several
In 1785, Carlos III established a uniform flag for all ships of the Spanish Armada, similar to the current flag of Spain. The use of this red-and-yellow flag would be extended in 1793 to "maritime towns, castles and coastal defenses." Despite the establishment of this new flag, the cross of Burgundy would still often used by colonial entities.[citation needed]
Flag of the Patria Vieja (1812–1814)
At the onset of the
Named the flag of the Patria Vieja ("Old Fatherland"), the flag had three horizontal stripes of blue, white and yellow. For some, the bands represent the three branches of government: majesty popular, law and force, respectively; to others, the stripes represent features of nature: the sky, the snowy Andes and fields of golden wheat, respectively. The following 30 September, during a celebration in the capital to commemorate the first government junta, the Chilean coat of arms, also called Patria Vieja, was solemnly adopted and included in the center of the flag.
Although the blue-white-yellow flag of the Patria Vieja was the most recognized, other versions utilized a different arrangement of the colors, such as white-blue-yellow, for example. On other occasions, the red
In 1813 after the royalist invasion and the outbreak of the War of Independence, the Spanish symbols were abolished and the tricolor flag was formally adopted by the patriotic forces in a ceremony at the Plaza Mayor of Santiago. Months later in 1814, Carrera left political and military power, and Francisco de la Lastra was chosen as Supreme director. The war of independence began at great losses for the patriot side, and so signed the Treaty of Lircay on 3 May 1814. This agreement reaffirmed the Spanish sovereignty over the territory of Chile, among other things, and as one of its direct consequences, the Spanish flag was readopted at the expense of the tricolor.
The flag of the Patria Vieja would wave again after Carrera's return to power 23 July 1814 until the Battle of Rancagua (1–2 October) where the royalist victory ended the patriot government and began the Reconquista (or Reconquest) from 1814 to 1817, restoring the imperial standard. The tricolor flag was last flown for the last time in the Battle of Los Papeles (Batalla de los Papeles), but it would appear again raised in the ships that José Miguel Carrera brought in 1817 and during his campaigns in Argentina (1820–1821). The Reconquista ended with the victory of Liberation Army of the Andes (Ejército Liberatador de los Andes) in the Battle of Chacabuco on 12 February 1817. In this battle, the patriot troops fought with the army colonel and the flag of the Army of the Andes, inspired by the flag of Argentina, without readopting the blue-white-yellow standard.
Today, the flag of the Patria Vieja is used during memorial services for moose Chilean historical period, conducted by the
Flag of the Transition (1817–1818)
Despite initial enthusiasm, the flag did not obtain official legalization and disappeared five months later. One reason for its suppression was that it was easily confused with both the
According to the General History of Chile by Diego Barros Arana, the last time the Flag of the Transition was unfurled was at the ceremony to commemorate the Battle of Rancagua, two weeks before the adoption of the current national flag. However, there is information about a possible third flag between the Transitional and final, which would have exchanged the order of white and blue stripes and incorporated the five-pointed white star on the central strip, but that is no certainty, and it is not accepted by the majority of Chilean historians.
Third and current flag
The design of the current Chilean flag is commonly attributed to Bernardo O'Higgins's Minister of War, José Ignacio Zenteno, having been designed by the Spanish soldier Antonio Arcos, although historians argue that it was Gregorio de Andía y Varela who drew it.
The flag was made official on 18 October 1817 by a decree,[6] of which only indirect references to the absence of a copy thereof, which was officially presented during the Pledge of Independence ceremony on 12 February 1818, a ceremony in which the bearer was Tomás Guido.
The original flag was designed according to the
The adoption of the star configuration goes back to the star used by the Mapuches. According to O'Higgins, the star of the flag was the Star of Arauco. In Mapuche iconography, the morning star or Venus, (
star or a foliated cross. Although, the star which was finally adopted bore a star having five points with the design of the guñelve remaining reflected in an asterisk inserted in the center of the star, representing the combination of European and indigenous traditions.These designs soon fell into oblivion due to the difficulty in the flag's construction. So, the embroidered seal and the eight-pointed asterisk disappeared while the star was kept completely upright. In 1854 the proportion was determined in keeping with the colors of the flag, leaving the canton as a square and the ratio of hoist to fly set to 2:3. Finally, in 1912, the diameter of the star was established, the precedence of the colors in the presidential flag and decorative cockade was determined, setting the order as blue, white and red from top to bottom or from left to right of the viewer.
All of these arrangements would later be recast into Supreme Decree No. 1534 of 1967 from the
Few records remain of the original design, the most valuable being that of the flag used in the Declaration of Independence, which had a width of two meters and a length just over two feet. The flag was protected by various hereditary institutions until it was stolen in 1980 by members of the
There is a rather popular
Similar flags
The flag of the U.S. state of Texas is similar to the Chilean flag. The flag of Texas was designed and adopted on 25 January 1839; whereas Chile adopted a flag similar to today's Chilean flag 22 years earlier on 18 October 1817. Nearly two decades before the then-national flag was approved by the Texas Congress and President Mirabeau B. Lamar. Texas' current flag is not a copied version of the Chilean flag, contrary to popular belief.
Like Texas, on 17 January 1840; a coalition of nobles from the
In 1822 during the Peruvian War of Independence, troops from both the Liberating Expedition of Peru (Expedición Libertadora del Perú) and the United Liberating Army of Peru (Ejército Unido Libertador del Perú) used a standard that was identical to the modern flag of Chile, except their flag had three stars in the canton (mostly forming the Triangulum Australe constellation), representing the three nations united by the cause of independence: the Argentine provinces, Chile and Peru.
On the other hand, the Chilean flag would have served as inspiration for the supporters of
Céspedes would have been inspired by the Chilean flag as a way of honoring the efforts of Benjamín Vicuña Mackenna on behalf of Chile to achieve independence of Cuba after the Spanish defeat in the Chincha Islands War.[11] According to Cespedes's son, his father "imagined a new flag that bore the same colors as that of the Carreras and O'Higgins and that would differentiate itself from the disposition of those colors."[12] However, the flag would not have much success, and an earlier design would become the definitive Cuban flag.
The flag of Liberia, founded in 1847, also includes a single star on the canton, but it has multiple horizontal stripes similar to the United States Flag.
Also, the Flag of Malacca, a state in Malaysia, is similar, having the same colors (except the yellow star and moon) and a similar canton design, although the proportions and color order are different.
The state of Amazonas in Brazil also adopted a similar flag in 1982. Its flag also has an elongated blue canton with multiple stars.
The Catamarca province in Argentina adopted a flag in 2011 that has nearly the same color design, but the blue is paler, and with a yellow border and a sun with two olive branches in the center.
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Flag of Texas (1839)
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Flag of the United States (1960)
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Flag of theLiberating Expedition of Peru(1820)
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Flag of Cuba used in the Ten Years' War (1868)
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Firstflag of the Confederate States of America"Stars and Bars" (1861)
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Flag of Liberia (1847)
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Flag of the Czech Republic (1993), previously Czechoslovakia (1920–1992)
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Flag of Yugoslavia (1918)
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Flag of Poland (1980)
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Flag ofCatamarca province
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Flag of Malaysia (1963)
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Flag of Rapa Nui, Chile (until 1902)
Construction
The construction of the flag of Chile, at present, is officially defined in Supreme Decree No. 1,534 of the Ministry of the Interior, published in 1967, on the use of national emblems, which systematized and consolidated various laws and regulations on the subject. (Other laws include Law No. 2,597 of 11 January 1912, concerning the colors and proportions of the national flag, the presidential sash and rosette or cockade, and Supreme Decree No. 5805 of the Ministry of the Interior, published 26 August 1927, sets the size of the national flag for use in buildings and public offices.) According to the decree, the ratio between length and width of the flag is 3:2, being divided horizontally into two bands of equal size. While the lower section corresponds to the color red, the upper area is divided once in a blue square and a white rectangle whose lengths are in proportion 1:2, respectively. The star is located in the center of the blue canton and is constructed on a circle whose diameter is half the side of the canton.
Colors scheme
The exact color shades are not defined by law, but they are listed as "turqui blue", "white" and "red". Approximations below:
Blue | Red | White | |
---|---|---|---|
RGB | 0-57-166 | 213-43-30 | 255-255-255 |
Hexadecimal | #0039a6 | #d52b1e | #FFFFFF |
CMYK | 100, 66, 0, 35 | 0, 80, 86, 16 | 0, 0, 0, 0 |
Display
According to Chilean law, public use of the flag is allowed without prior authorization.[13] Before October 2011 its use was prohibited, without the approval of the provincial governor.[14][15] (An exception was made in 2010 during the bicentennial celebrations, where display of the flag was permitted during the whole month of September.[16]) This rule, however, was rarely enforced, as the flag was widely used on street celebrations, stadiums or rallies, without penal consequences.[citation needed]
Public buildings and private residences are required to display the flag on Navy Day (21 May), National Day (18 September) and Army Day (19 September).[15][17] If the flag is displayed incorrectly or not displayed at all during these days, the person responsible may be fined.[18]
On a pole
According to the protocol concerned, the flag should be hoisted from the tip of a white mast, and if done in company with other flags different, they must be of equal or lesser size. The Chilean flag must be set to the left if the sum of the flags is an even number or the center if the sum is an odd number. The flag must also be the first to be lifted and lowered the last.
Freely hanging
The Chilean flag can be displayed hanging either vertically or horizontally from a building or wall. In both cases, the blue square should be to the viewer's upper left.[15]
Respect due to the flag
Article 22 of the 1980 Constitution of Chile states that all inhabitants of the Republic owe respect to Chile and to its national emblems. The national emblems of Chile are the national flag, the coat of arms of the Republic and the national anthem. Pursuant to article 6 of the State Security Act of Chile (Decreto No. 890 de 1975), it is a felony against the public order to publicly mistreat the flag, the coat of arms, the name of the motherland or the national anthem.
Regional flags
Chile is
The regional flags can be found in the Access Hall of the National Congress of Chile in the city of Valparaíso. Many communes and cities also have their own flags.
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Flag of theArica and Parinacota Region
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Flag of the Tarapacá Region
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Flag of the Antofagasta Region
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Flag of the Atacama Region
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Flag of the Coquimbo Region
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Flag of the Valparaíso Region
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Flag of the Santiago Metropolitan Region
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Flag of the O'Higgins Region
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Flag of the Maule Region
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Flag of the Ñuble Region
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Flag of the Biobío Region
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Flag of the Araucanía Region
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Flag of the Los Ríos Region
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Flag of the Los Lagos Region
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Flag of theAisén Region
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Magallanes and Antártica Chilena Region
Pledge to the National Flag
In memory of the brave heroes of the
English translation of the pledge - Armed Forces variant
I (name and rank) pledge, to God and this flag,
to serve my country with loyalty,
whether in sea, on land, (in the air,[20]) or in anywhere else,
preparing thus, if needed, to sacrifice my life,
to fulfill my military duties and obligations,
in accordance with the laws and regulations in force,
to obey quickly and punctually the orders of my superior officers,
and thus invest my efforts in being a brave and honorable soldier (sailor, airman)
no matter what, for my country's sake!
English translation of the pledge - Carabineros variant
I pledge, as a constable/second lieutenant, to God and this very flag,
To serve loyally the duties of my profession,
To preserve the Constitution and laws of the republic,
And to serve and protect all citizens and the people who live in this land
Even if it needs for me to sacrifice my life
For the defense of order and the country!
English translation of the pledge - Gendarmerie variant
I (name and rank), pledge before the flag of my country,
to obey and comply with the laws and regulations concerning the Gendarmenie,
to serve loyally with the demands of this instituion.
I pledge, towards my superiors, comrades and those of other organizations
to be a good example with punctually
as I serve the duties of this service even needed to do at the cost of my own life!
Gallery
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Lautaro, painting by Pedro Subercaseaux.
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Cross of Burgundy, emblem of the King and Armed Forces in Spanish Empire.
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Flag of Crown of Castile.
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Ancestral Araucanian Flag with the Guñelve, "the star of Arauco".
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Naval ensign and national flag of Spain (1785–1873 and 1875–1931).
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Possible flag used for a few days in 1817.
References
- ^ Claudio Navarro; Verónica Guajardo. "Símbolos: La Bandera" (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 17 October 2008. Retrieved 8 June 2008.
- ^ a b Guaquil, Rodolfo Manzo (5 May 2018). Los verdaderos emblemas de la República de Chile: 1810-2010 (in Spanish). p. 23.
Otro aspecto importante en la bandera es la estrella de cinco puntas e inclinada que representa a la wünelfe, nombre que con que los indígenas mapuches asignaban al planeta Venus...
- ^ "The CIA World Factbook". Retrieved 21 April 2010.
- ^ "Virtual journal of contemporary art and emerging trends" (in Spanish). Escaner Cultural. Retrieved 22 April 2010.
- ^ Amunátegui Aldunate, Miguel Luis (1870). Los precursores de la independencia de Chile (in Spanish). Vol. III. Santiago, Chile: Imprenta, Litografía i Encuadernación Barcelona. pp. 587–590. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
- ^ Soublette, Gastón (1984). "Historia de los Emblemas Nacionales Chilenos. Hechos, mitos, errores y discusiones sobre los Símbolos Patrios" (in Spanish). soberaniachile.
- ^ Soublette, Gastón (1984). "La estrella de Chile" (in Spanish). Ediciones Universitarias de Valparaíso. Archived from the original on 22 September 2009. Retrieved 7 October 2010.
- ^ Navas, Andrés (2015). "The amazing story of a forgotten golden flag" (PDF). Preprint. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 June 2022.
- ISBN 9781257124336.
- ^ "Chilean flag wins international competition (archived entry)" (in Spanish). 6 October 1907. Archived from the original on 2 August 2007. Retrieved 25 September 2013.
- ^ "Chile and the independence of Cuba II" (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 5 April 2008.
- ^ Céspedes, Carlos Manuel de (1929). Las banderas de Yara y Bayamo (in Spanish). Paris.
imaginó una bandera nueva, que luciendo los mismos colores y forma de la de Carreras [sic] y O'Higgins se diferenciase de ésta en la disposición de aquellos
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ Law 20,537, National Congress of Chile.
- ^ Article 4, letter f, Law 19,175, National Congress of Chile.
- ^ a b c "Decreto Supremo Nº 1534 de 1967 del Ministerio del Interior" (in Spanish). National Congress of Chile. Retrieved 1 August 2011.
- ^ Decreto 2850 EXENTO de 24 de agosto de 2010, Ministerio del Interior de Chile.
- ^ "Decreto con Fuerza de Ley Nº 22 de 1959 del Ministerio del Hacienda" (in Spanish). National Congress of Chile. Retrieved 1 August 2011.
- ^ "ESTE 21 DE MAYO EL IZAMIENTO DEL PABELLON NACIONAL ES OBLIGATORIO". wordpress.com. 20 May 2010.
- Universidad de Chile. Archived from the originalon 21 June 2007. Retrieved 22 September 2010.
- ^ This part of the pledge is recited by air force cadets only
External links
- Chile at Flags of the World
- Chile Historical Flag
- Sobre los verdaderos simbolos patrios de Chile simbolospatrios.cl