Almost everyone knows about the country of Holland, which is also called the Netherlands. Its windmills, amazing tulips, canals and wooden shoes are familiar to every tourist. The national flag of Holland is also known to many - someone remembers it after a tourist trip, and someone has repeatedly watched the success of the football team of this country. What about the meaning and history of the tricolor? They are also very interesting to know!
Appearance
So, what does the country of Holland hide in its symbolism? The flag of the Netherlands is rectangular in shape. The aspect ratio can be called classic - the length and width are correlated in a ratio of 3: 2. Tricolor is located horizontally.
The colors of the flag of Holland are similar to the symbols of other countries, for example, the same are used in France, Russia and the Czech Republic. But in the Netherlands, they have their own meaning, and the location of the shades is unique - the upper stripe is made in red, in the middle is white, and below is blue.
Using
How exactly can the Holland flag be used? The cloth is used not only at all state institutions - it serves both as a military and as a marine standard. This means that tricolor can be found on the army unit, on any ship. In addition, citizens are not prohibited from using it. On public holidays, the whole of Holland is decorated with panels! The flag is very loved by citizens, and they are happy to hang it at their homes for solemn occasions.
History
Own banner appeared here at the end of the sixteenth century. As such, it was decided to use the generic banner, which belonged to the Prince of Orange. The appearance of the banner strongly resembled a modern one, but with one serious difference - instead of a red strip, an orange was located on it. This color is associated with Holland and now, despite the fact that it has long disappeared from the banner. Nevertheless, residents are very fond of a cheerful orange tint, there is even a public holiday here, when everyone dresses in orange clothes. But the flag already looks different. The tricolor with an orange stripe has been in use for fifty years. After this, a revolution occurred, and it was decided to abandon the color associated with monarchical power. Interestingly, a practical reason was also hidden behind the change - orange burned out very quickly in the sun. Dyes in those days were not too perfect. The days of harsh revolutionary sentiments have passed. Orange did not return to the banner, but now it is used on a royal pennant that rises above the flag during the holidays, which monarchist Holland celebrates. The flag of the Minister of Defense also includes this color. The military department raises a flagpole cloth of dark purple, decorated with four bright orange stripes.
National options
As in many other countries, in the Netherlands there are regional varieties of symbolism. The state was not always uniform, therefore, in some territories, an original culture was still preserved. This cannot but affect the use of the flag and other emblems of the country. Each province has its own official version. In the north they use tricolor of yellow, red and blue colors. In the south, the option is even brighter. It looks like a yellow panel, which depicts a red lion standing on its hind legs. The same animals are used on the coat of arms of the province. When traveling around the country, do not be surprised to find different symbols in different regions - this is absolutely normal. The official flag, common to all territories, is loved here no less. It is also used constantly.