A country’s flag is more than just a four-cornered piece of cloth. It stands for something deeper, representing people and homeland.
A federal republic, composed of 26 federal states (”cantons”), Switzerland is a Central European country known for its long tradition of political neutrality. According to history, Switzerland first became a nation in 1291.
At the time, much of current territory of Switzerland was under the rule of the counts of Habsburg. Deciding to defend their rights against the Habsburgs, three cantons united and together they formed the beginning of what is known as the Old Swiss Confederacy. By 1513, several cantons have also joined the Confederacy.
The member states of the Confederacy did not actually tried to build a nation. In fact, until 1648, Switzerland was still considered a part of the German Empire, whose emperor in the 13th century was identified as the protector of Christianity and carried with him a flag with the cross as a holy sign. Moreover, the German emperor also carried with him a blood-red flag, which symbolized his power over life and death. These two elements were later on incorporated in the present Switzerland flag, but before that, the Switzerland flag had to undergo various transformations.
In the 13th century, the German emperor sometimes granted special honor to certain cities and regions. This special honor consists of the right to bear a cross on one’s coat of arms and on a flag as well as direct immediacy - that is, direct subordination to the emperor without going through the counts.
In 1240, one of the founding members of the Old Swiss Confederacy, the region of Schwyz, was granted immediacy and was permitted to carry a red flag. Later in 1289, the region supported King Rudolf of Habsburg in a war against Burgundy. As recognition of their contribution, the emperor granted them the right to represent the crucifixion of Christ and the tools used to torture him. At first, these symbols were painted on parchment and fastened it on the Switzerland flag. Later on, the cross symbol was painted directly on the Switzerland flag itself.
For a long time, the Switzerland flag was of this fashion. However, in 1798, the Swiss Revolution broke. Afterwards, much of the old structures of Swiss governance was abolished to be replaced with a centralistic democracy. Like all revolutionary governments, the newly formed Helvetic Republic adopted a tricolor for its Switzerland flag: green (symbolizing freedom/revolution) with a little freedom hat, red (traditional color of Switzerland flags), and yellow (another traditional color).
The centralistic government did not last long and the Switzerland flag had to go through several different transformations in accordance with the changing modes of time. It was only after the French July Revolution of 1830 that the Switzerland flag we know of today was reinstituted as a symbol of the country as a common flag for all Swiss troops.
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Flag Of Switzerland
... much details than the plain white cross of today. So how did the flag of Switzerland develop into what it is now? To answer that, we need to take a look at the history of the Swiss people. The Forest Cantons The so-called forest cantons of Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden were the founding members of the Old Swiss Confederacy of 1291. According to history, Emperor Frederick II of the German Empire granted the canton of Schwyz the privilege of carrying a white cross, a holy sign, on its banner in 1240. Documents and records reveal that the original white cross was asymmetrical and drawn in great detail with the body of Christ. The white cross is a symbol of the Emperor as protector of Christianity. The red flag, on the other hand, was a sign of his power over life and death. When the Emperor granted the right to...
The Curacao Flag
Curacao flag? The two white stars represent the two islands of Curacao; Curacao and small Curacao or also known as Klein Curacao (a small uninhabited island southeast of Curacao). The yellow stripe depicts the sun dividing the blue sky and blue sea (that's why the color of the Curacao flag is blue). The five points of the star symbolizes the five continents of which the local population originated. Curacao celebrates its "Curacao Flag Day" on July 2. It is one of the many "Official Holiday" that Curacao celebrates annually. It is celebration starts with and flag raising ceremony at the Village of Barber and at the Plaza Brion. The day is celebrated with parades, ceremonies and cultural events. Some events Switzerland Flag are held at Otrobanda. There is also a historical Curacao flag that many experts believe is doubtful. It is said to be very much alike with the Dutch flag only it has a Coat of Arms in the center...
Bahamas Flag
... in 1973. The Bahamas Flag was officially hoisted on July 10, 1973, the date of the nation's independence from the United Kingdom. Switzerland Flag The Bahamas flag was a result of a local contest for a new national flag, no single entry was chosen though but instead several entries were combined to create the new flag. The Bahamas Flag overall colors are aquamarine blue, gold, and black. Much symbolism is associated with colors according to ancient and heraldic traditions. The Bahamas flag gold color represents the sands of the nation, blue representing the waters that surround the Bahamas, and the black triangle stands for unity. From the left half of the flag (viewer's left side) is called the Hoist that pictures a black equilateral triangle that comes in from the left edge of the flag. The flag's facial appearance is of three equal horizontal bands of aquamarine blue (top), gold (center), and aquamarine blue (bottom). The Bahamas...
American Flag T Shirt
... the symbol is less important to them than the thing. Waving flags does nothing for our country, nor does putting them on our bodies. What does help far more than every American flag t shirt that has ever been made, is daring to stand up against the false patriots who threaten to plunge our country into ruin. Right now, we are fighting wars all over the world, plunging into debt, and immersed up to our nostrils in scandal and corruption while corporations and elected officials systematically loot our country and destroy all that is best about it. Instead of talking about the so called threat from so called terrorists, I would like Switzerland Flag to see all of the people who like to wear an American flag t shirt to talk about that, and to...
The British Virgin Islands Flag
... of arms (badge) centered in the outer half of the flag. The British Virgin Islands flag is like the United Kingdom flag. The coat of arms depicts a woman flanked on either side by a vertical column of six lamps above and a scroll bearing the Latin word VIGILANTE, which means "Be watchful". The British Virgin Islands flag and the badge were adopted in the 15th of November 1960. The badge of the British Virgin Islands comprises a green shield charged with twelve golden oil lamps with red flames and a female figure. The female figure is St. Ursula, patron saint of the British Virgin Islands Switzerland Flag attired in white and wearing sandals, carrying one of those lamps. The eleven lamps on the badge of the British Virgin Islands flag which surround the figure of St. Ursula each represent 1000 of the 11,000 Virgins who, according to the legend, were martyred along with St. Ursula. The figure of...
Switzerland Tours
There are many Switzerland tours that offer all the ins and outs without necessarily burning a hole in your pocket. Here are a few websites that offer Switzerland tours well within budget: SwitzerlandTours.net Switzerland Tours Net offers three kinds of tours: by tourist destinations, by tour packages, by adventure sports, and by hotels in Switzerland. Visit places like Geneva, Zurich, Lugano, Locarno, Lucerne, and St. Moritz if you choose the Switzerland Flag Switzerland tour by destination. If you already have an idea exactly what you want from your Switzerland vacation, perhaps you can find what you're looking for in their Switzerland Tour Packages, which include Honeymoon in Switzerland, Peaks of the World, Switzerland Rail Adventure, Glacier Express in Winter, and many more. TourVacationsToGo.com The site features several first class ($80 - $275) and budget ($45 - $130) Switzerland tours and the occasional deluxe ($100 - $400) and luxury ($400 - $600) packages from various tour operators in the country. ...
Map Of Switzerland
... areas of heavy traffic, places where you can find great restaurants or entertainment centers, then just click on the corresponding boxes provided in the website's search tool. LonelyPlanet.com Whenever you need travel information about a particular destination, one of the first places to visit is always Lonely Planet. As a travel website, Lonely Planet is a premier website that offers reliable information about the places you want to visit with tips from other "lonely planeteers" out there, including lists of top places to check out, sights to see, activities to enjoy, foods, and other miscellaneous stuff that travel magazines and brochures wouldn't normally cover. Now, being one of the must-go-to online sites to visit when planning a vacation, Lonely Planet has everything you need to map out your dream vacation. If they...
Travel Information In Switzerland
... the charm of the hotel. Always make sure that prior to travel you have reserved the hotel of your choice to avoid incurring extra expenses of looking for other hotels if the hotel you like is fully booked. Switzerland's Currency Swiss franc is the official currency of the country, abbreviated as CHF. Banknotes issued denominations are 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500, and 1000 CHF. Look up the current rate of your currency with Francs before your time of travel to have a general idea of how much everything will cost for you. Switzerland Transportation There are more than thirteen-thousand miles of train, boat, and bus routes that Swiss transportation serves. Train is the most convenient and efficient means of traveling within the Switzerland with rail passes obtainable to help settle the cost of this part of your Switzerland vacation. Dining in Swiss Restaurants and Tipping Lunches are most often affordable than the same meal...
Fiji Flag
Honor the Queen", as well as placing a miniature canoe; the original Kingdom of Viti flag featured these emblems. The Kingdom of Viti was the first state of Fiji to be unified in 1871 forged through Seru Epenisa Cakobau. The present Fiji flag has the Union Jack on the upper left which symbolizes the long association of Switzerland Flag the country with Great Britain; the blue field of the flag represents the islands surrounding Pacific Ocean; and the coat of arms placed just a bit lower than the Union Jack on its right. The coat of arms has five significant figures, with the golden British lion that holds a coconut on top of all other figures, and below it are four panels that show a sugar...
A Flight to Paris
Ottawa, you ought to take a flight to Paris Switzerland Flag via Air Canada which is the official flag carrier of Canada. It has three schedules to choose from with more than 24 hours travel time. * If you are from Manchester, you ought to take a flight to Paris via British Airways which is the official flag carrier of United Kingdom. It has three schedules to choose from with more an approximate two hours travel time. * If you are from Washington, you ought to take a flight to Paris via US Airways which is the official flag carrier of United States of America. It has five schedules to choose from with less than eight hours travel time. If you are really raring to fly to the City of Lights to look at Rodin's The Thinker, Garnier's Opera House, Da Vinci's Mona...
Skiing In Switzerland
... being at a family-oriented resort in the serene setting of a quiet Alpine village. Or it could mean vibrant laces with superb apr s ski. Anything that suits your taste Switzerland Flag or fancy actually. So if you are planning on going skiing in Switzerland, consider our list of top most visited ski resorts: Zermatt Hugging the foot of the most famous mountain in Switzerland, the Matterhorn, Zermatt is a car-free resort that offers skiing in Switzerland among various things. The resort combines the beautiful scenery of an Alpine village with the sophistication of a prime holiday destination, making it one of the top places to visit when you go to Switzerland. The Zermatt provides its guests with a modern lift system, practical holiday apartments, attractive hotels and friendly hosts. In addition to the 1,620-3,882 meters of skiing right at its doorstep, the Zermatt may also prove to...
Switzerland Chocolate
... over the western regions before the end of the century. Places like Vevey, Lausanne, Morges, and the Blenio Valley in canton Ticino were the first sites of Switzerland chocolate factories with the first chocolate shop opening in Bern in 1792. How Switzerland Chocolate Goes From Tree to Sweet Switzerland chocolate comes from the beans of the pod-bearing cacao tree. After harvest and removing the beans from the pods, they are left to ferment for some days in order to remove some of the bitterness. Fermentation is followed by sun-drying, after which the beans are crushed, their husks removed. Then, the Switzerland Flag beans are roasted, grinded, and liquefied to produce a thick paste, known as "chocolate liquor." By the end of the whole process, the Switzerland chocolate mixer has three ingredients at hand: * Cocoa paste...
Lugano Switzerland
... canton of Ticino. However, as its name suggests, Lugano Switzerland has Italy written all over it. It is no wonder, considering how the only thing that Switzerland Flag separates this stunningly beautiful village from nearby Italy is Lago di Lugano ("Lake Lugano", a.k.a. Ceresio) and the forest-fringed shores of two rivers. The village of Lugano Switzerland is located on the south side of the Alps, right on the border with Italy. Public buildings, hotels and private villas all have an Italian look to them. And if that is not enough, the food and language are markedly Italian. However, don't be surprised when, unlike in "real" Italy, shops in Lugano Switzerland close exactly at 7:00 p.m. with most of downtown deserted a few minutes later. As...
Brienz Switzerland
... traveling by car. On the other hand, if you want to try the famous Swiss trains, a lot of them intersect with private excursion networks, thus allowing you a comfortable mode of transport as you enjoy the visually stimulating sights on your way to Brienz Switzerland. Another option you have is the yellow postbus. Sturdy and reliable, these buses follow its appointed rounds. If you are traveling on a budget, this is the best ride around to get to your destination in Brienz Switzerland. Going by foot is also another option you have to get to Brienz Switzerland. This is great if you like to add a Switzerland Flag dash of adventure before you finally relax at your chosen hotel or hostel in Brienz Switzerland. However, you will have to cover a lot of ground. The good news is that this particular region of Switzerland has highly developed walking trails. They are well-groomed and often lead away from nearly every intersection, thus making your hike much more enjoyable and close to nature. Top...
Switzerland
... quaint country settings against a backdrop of dramatic landscapes? How about a fascinating cornucopia of unique cultures - French, German, and Italian? Or perhaps, you just want to hike along trails with breathtaking vistas? Or pamper yourself in the lap of luxury? When you are in Switzerland, you can take your pick from among any of these wonderful offerings. Geography Bordered to the north by Germany, to the west by France, to the south by Italy, and to the east by Austria and Liechtenstein, Switzerland is a country with a strong tradition of political and military neutrality. However, don't let Switzerland's neutrality fool you. The country is by Switzerland Flag no means flavorless. As a landlocked country, Switzerland is particularly known for its mountains. In the south are the spectacular snow-capped Alps and in the northwest is the magnificent Jura. But besides mountains, Switzerland also has a central plateau, composed of plains, large lakes, and rolling hills. Language Switzerland has four official languages -...