Flag of Slovakia

The current form of the national flag of the Slovak Republic (Slovak: Vlajka Slovenskej republiky) was adopted by Slovakia's Constitution, which came into force on 3 September 1992. The flag, like many other flags of Slavic nations, uses Pan-Slavic colors (red, white, and blue). It is defaced with Slovakia's national arms.

Slovak Republic

Use	National flag
Proportion	2:3
Adopted	3 September 1992
Design	A horizontal tricolor of white, blue, and red; charged with coat of arms at the hoist side
Designed by	Ladislav Čisárik[1] Ladislav Vrtel[1]
Variant flag of the Slovak Republic
Use	Civil flag and ensign
Proportion	2:3
Adopted	14 March 1939
Design	A horizontal tricolor of white, blue, and red

When flown vertically the coat of arms is rotated. This is the reverse side.

History

Slovakia's flag in its current form (but with another coat of arms on it or without any arms) can be dated back to the revolutionary year 1848 (see: The Revolutions of 1848 in the Habsburg areas). It was also used semi-officially in Czechoslovakia before World War II, by the Slovak Republic during World War II.

In 1990, the Interior Ministry tasked Ladislav Čisárik, a painter and heraldic artist, and Ladislav Vrtel, an expert in heraldry, with creating a new coat of arms and national flag.[1][2][3] Čisárik and Vrtel based their designs for a modern coat of arms and flag on an existing 14th Century coat of arms.[1][2] However, Čisárik and Vrtel chose to enlarge the double cross three times to emphasize it as a national symbol.[1][2] In addition to the national coat of arms and the national flag, the duo also designed a new presidential standard, which incorporates the double cross as well.[1][2]

The new flag was finally adopted (initially without Čisárik's and Vrtel's coat of arms) on 1 March 1990 as the flag of the Slovak Republic within Czechoslovakia. The coat of arms was added on 3 September 1992 and a special law describing the details of the flag followed in February 1993.

Design

Construction sheet

Since the Slovak flag without the coat of arms is identical to the current flag of the Russian Federation, and can also be compared to the modern flag of Slovenia, the Constitution of Slovakia added the national coat of arms in September 1992.

It is one of 28 national flags that contain overtly Christian symbols.[4]

Flags

Historical flags

• 
  Flag of the Principality of Nitra
• 
  Flag of the Slovak territory of Upper Hungary from the 14th century. This flag was used by the Hungarian king Wenceslaus III of Bohemia, whose factical power was limited at this territory. The Trimount on the flag represents the upper mountain lands of the kingdom and the double cross has already been used earlier as the symbol of this territory (Great Moravia, Principality of Nitra)
• 
  Slovak flag proposed by the Demands of the Slovak nation
• 
  Another flag used during the Slovak Uprising. Basically historical flag of Hungary with green replaced by blue. The first depiction of the hills in coat of arms in blue color
• 
  One of more flags used by slovak volunteers during Slovak Uprising 1848. Flags from this period introduced blue color into the slovak flag for the first time, after the Slavic Congress. Used also as flag of Slovak National Council (1848–49)
• 
  Another flag used during the Slovak Uprising
• 
  Official flag of Slovaks adopted in 1849/1868, but used also before. Later adopted as the official flag of the autonomous Slovak land within the Second Czechoslovak Republic (1938–1939), WWII Slovak Republic (1939–1945) and Slovak Republic within Czechoslovakia (1990–1992)
• 
  Flag of the Slovak Soviet Republic
• 
  Flag of Czechoslovakia (1920–1992)
• 
  War Ensign of the Slovak Republic (1939–1945)

Presidential standard

• 
  Standard of the President (1939–1945)
• 
  Standard of the President (1993–present)

Other flags

• 
  Vertical version of the flag of Slovakia

See also

• Coat of arms of Slovakia
• Pan-Slavic colors

References

1. "Zomrel autor výtvarného spracovania štátnych symbolov SR". News Agency of the Slovak Republic. 2017-08-03. Retrieved 2017-09-06.
2. "Zomrel autor slovenských národných symbolov Ladislav Čisárik ml". SME. 2017-08-03. Retrieved 2017-09-06.
3. Glevická, Marcela (2017-02-16). "How the national emblem appeared – including so far secret communism designs". The Slovak Spectator. Retrieved 2017-09-07.
4. Green, Michael (March 20, 2015). "Flags, for God's Sake". brandingthenations.com. Archived from the original on February 3, 2020. Retrieved February 3, 2020.

External links

• Slovakia Flag
• Zákon NR SR o štátnych symboloch Slovenskej republiky a ich používaní