Greek people love their National flag of Greece. You will see the Greek flag everywhere during your Greece holiday. In its gorgeous history, Greece changed its flag many times. To the Greek people, however, this is more than just the official state flag. It’s a symbol of their national pride and of how far they’ve truly come since the Ottoman Occupation of Greece officially ended.
The national flag of Greece
The national flag of Greece, popularly referred to as the “blue and white” or the “sky blue and white”, is officially recognised by Greece as one of its national symbols and has nine equal horizontal stripes of blue alternating with white.
What does the flag of Greece mean
There is some lore that surrounds the meaning and symbolism behind the flag. The Greece flag is also recognizable and distinct and represents certain aspects of Greek culture and history. The white cross in the upper quadrant of the flag represents Greek Orthodox Christianity, the religion that the majority of people in Greece practice. The nine blue and white stripes represents each syllable in the phrase, “Ελευθερία ή Θάνατος”, which means, “Freedom or Death” in English.
Why is the Greece flag blue and white
The flag of Greece is blue and white and was officially adopted on December 22, 1978.
The blue and white colors represent the seas surrounding Greece with its blue water and white wave crests.
Why did Greece change its flag
Although the origin of the Greek flag is still a matter of debate, the important fact to remember is that it was officially adopted by Greece on December 22, 1978. In fact, during the Ottoman occupation and the first few years of the Greek War of Independence (1821–1829), many flags were used by different people, with several featuring mottoes, emblems and even saints.
But in an effort to rally the nation under one central administration, the Greeks chose the version of the flag that we know today, which dates back to 1822, a year after the new state declared its independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1821.
Around 1900, Iceland was forced to change its non-official flag, which was widely used by Icelandic republicans, because it was thought to be too similar to the former Greek one.
The Flag of the Revolution
Most people don’t realize that the current Greek flag wasn’t officially adopted until December 22, 1978. Prior to that, the flag has had several designs with a few similarities. Prior to 1978, the flag may or may not have contained the signature stripes and maybe would have only contained the white cross with the blue background. When King Otto from Bavaria was in power, he added his family’s coat of arms to the flag. After he was no longer in power, the flag changed again.
The Flag of the Orthodox Church
Although today it is believed the flag that the Church of Greece presently uses was actually the flag of the Byzantine Empire, there is no proof for this. The double-headed eagle that looks on the east and the west on a yellow background is indeed the symbol of the Greek Orthodox Church and you will see it outside many monasteries and churches, however, there is no sign how it was created.
What was the flag of ancient Greece
In ancient times there where no flags; only the Scythians carried flags in war, similar with the ones we use today: “Scythian Signs, which they hold in war, cloths adorned with color, on which design of snakes are pictured, and which are hung from high poles” (exact wording from Suidae Lexikon, Byzantium, 2nd half of Xth century.
Did ancient Greece have a flag
The Ancient Greeks in place of flags had shields bearing distinct and symbolic signs, which they called επισημα (episema), and through which they recognized their fellow-soldiers in battle. These signs were in the center of the shield, for example various symbolic figures (anchor, Herodotus (-) 74, Sphinx, etc.) and depictions of Gods, or words deemed appropriate to heroes (boastings, threats, etc.).
When was the Greece flag made
The Greek flag dates back to 1822, just after Greece declared its independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1821. On December 22, 1978, it was officially adopted as the sole national flag.
Pantone Colors of Greece Flag
This country has 2 colors in their national flag which are Green-Blue (#0D5EAF) and White (#FFFFFF).
Blue: Pantone 286 C / CMYK (%) 100-60-0-5
National days about flag of Greece
The Greek National Flag celebrates on October 27th, a day before the Greek National Holiday for the resistance in the Second World War, when the Italian troops invaded the country in 1940.
Greece’s National Day
After nearly 400 years as part of the Ottoman Empire, the push for independence ignited as the Greek flag was raised above the monastery of Agia Lavra by Bishop Germanos of Patras in 1821. The blue and white of the Greek flag, similar to the one depicted in the Doodle artwork of Google, was a revolutionary symbol of the Greek War for Independence. Through the London Protocol in 1830, Greece became an independent state.
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