The Greek flag, called the galanolefki, "the blue-and-white", is one of the most recognisable symbols in the Mediterranean. It flies on public buildings, on ships of one of the world's largest merchant fleets and, on holidays, from almost every balcony.
What it looks like
It has nine horizontal stripes, five blue and four white, alternating, with a blue canton in the upper left bearing a white cross. Its proportions are 2:3. The law does not fix an exact shade of blue, so lighter and darker versions are seen.
What it means
- The nine stripes, in the most common explanation, stand for the nine syllables of the 1821 revolutionary motto: E-lef-the-ri-a i THa-na-tos, "Freedom or death". Others link them to the nine Muses.
- The cross represents the Orthodox faith and the Church's role in keeping Greek identity alive under Ottoman rule.
- Blue and white recall sky and sea, waves and clouds; blue was also the colour of King Otto's Bavarian royal house.
An eventful history
- 1822The National Assembly at Epidaurus adopts the striped flag for the navy and the plain cross flag for land use.
- 1833-1924Under the monarchy a crown sometimes appears on the cross.
- 1924-1935The Second Republic removes the crown.
- 1935-1973The restored monarchy puts the crown back on official flags.
- 1970-1975During the colonels' dictatorship and just after, the striped flag is used as the only flag.
- 1978A law makes the nine-striped flag the sole national flag.
The plain cross flag, white on blue, long used on land, is no longer official but still appears at rallies, in stadiums and at some historic sites.
Coat of arms and anthem
The Republic's coat of arms is a blue shield with a white cross, surrounded by two laurel branches. The national anthem is the Hymn to Liberty, a poem written in 1823 by Dionysios Solomos of Zakynthos and set to music by Nikolaos Mantzaros of Corfu. The poem has 158 stanzas, but officially the first two are sung. It is also the anthem of Cyprus.
When it is celebrated
The flag is central to the two national holidays: 25 March, anniversary of the start of the War of Independence, and 28 October, "Ochi Day", recalling the refusal of Italy's 1940 ultimatum. On 27 October schools celebrate flag day. See festivals and traditions and the War of Independence.