Greek Flag

Official Greek Flag

The flag of Greece consist of nine horizontal lines of deep blue altering with white, and a white cross on a blue squared field in canton. It was adopted as the official Greek flag in December 1978. According to tradition the nine stripes of the Greek flag symbolize the nine syllables of the phrase Elefteria h Thanations, (Έ-λευ-θε-ρί-α ή Θά-να-τος), meaning Freedom or Death, which has been the motto of the Greek Revolution in 1821. The white cross is a symbol of Greek Orthodoxy, the established religion of Greece. In Greek, the flag of Greece is also referred to as Galanolefki, meaning blue & white.

If you come to Greece and especially if you visit the Greek islands, you will realize that the role of the colors of the flag of Greece is important. The Greek landscape is, actually, characterized by blue and white. The Greek sea with its little white waves has the same colors with the Greek flag. The beautiful blue sky, as well, with its few scattered white clouds, reminds of the Greek flag’s color combination.

Unofficial Greek Flag

The simple white-cross-on-blue flag dates from 1822. This Greek flag has mainly been used in land and not at sea, like the stripped flag of Greece. The plain cross flag was used for 3 years as official flag of Greece, until 1978 when the stripped flag became the official symbol of the Greek nation.

National Emblem of Greece – Coat of Arms of Greece

Greece National Emblem dates back to the first Greek constitution in 1822. It has undergone many changes ever since, as the political scene and system of Greece has also changed many times. Since 1975 the National Emblem of Greece consists of a square blue flag with a white cross and two laurel branches surrounding it. This Greek symbol can be found painted or woven on hats, uniforms, buttons of military & security forces. The Greek national stamp also consists of this symbol.