The flag of the Russian Federation is a rectangular-shaped cloth made of three horizontal stripes of different colors. This is one of the three symbols (the other two are the emblem and anthem) of the great state. The significance of the Russian flag in the modern state is interpreted differently.
What do the colors of the flag of the Russian Federation mean? Let's try to figure it out in general terms.
Characteristics of the flag of Russia
The flag is made of three equal widths of stripes of different colors:
- upper stripe - white;
- middle band - blue;
- the bottom bar is red.
According to the norm (state standard), the flag parameters are 2: 3 (respectively, width and length).
What do the colors of the Russian flag mean? A short story about this is presented later in the article.
A bit of history
In the Russian Empire, in the second half of the 17th century, the so-called personal standards were used, which were banners with images on them of either patrimonial insignia or the faces of various patron saints. And they were almost every large rich family. Moreover, the higher the class, the more recognizable were the banners. But in Europe, which at that time was the founder of fashion, they were not perceived as full-fledged national symbols.
There was no single national flag of the state by which Russia would become recognizable. For external relations according to European customs, the creation of some national symbols was required. Initially, flags began to be used on ships in commercial relations. The Holstein flag is very similar to the modern Russian tricolor. Such a canvas was adopted in Europe as a distinctive symbol of the Russian flotilla. What do the colors of the Russian flag of those times mean? The answer to this question is presented below in the article.
For the first time officially a tricolor with stripes of white, blue and red colors was considered to be a symbol of the empire in 1693. He was raised on a sea ship - the yacht "St. Peter". This flag in Europe began to symbolize Russia during the reign of Peter I.
In 1712, the flotilla used the St. Andrew’s flag, replacing the tricolor of the Tsar of Moscow. In 1858, by decree of Alexander II, the flag with black, yellow and white color of the canvas was approved as an official one. He became the first flag-symbol, which was approved by law. However, many continued to use the former flag in memory of Peter I. Alexander III further officially fixed the tricolor with stripes of white, blue and red shades as an attribute of Russia.
The Soviet flag (the times of the USSR and the RSFSR) replaced the sickle and hammer in November 1991 and was replaced by the current one. As noted above, almost the same flag was a state symbol from 1896 to 1917. But then he represented the trade flag of the Russian Empire to a greater extent.
Today there is no official unified version of the designations of the color palette of the national flag. The interpretation of flowers is the most diverse.
The meaning of the colors of the flag approved by Alexander II
What did the colors of the Russian flag that existed before 1917 mean?
- Black is a great power, the inviolability and stability of the state.
- Yellow (or gold) has two versions of its occurrence. One at a time, he was adopted from the banner of the Orthodox Byzantium. According to the second version, this color came from the reign of Prince Ivan III. In those days, the flags were attended by a double-headed eagle against the background of a golden cloth. The meaning of this color is unbroken spirit, spirituality, purity of faith and Orthodoxy.
- White is the color of George the Victorious, who struck the dragon with his spear. It is sacrifice, purity and eternity.
What do the colors of the Russian flag mean?
According to the interpretation of the reign of Peter I, the white color denoted freedom, the blue symbolized the Mother of God, and red - the color of sovereignty.
However, the current modern interpretation is completely different: white - a symbol of purity and peace, blue - constancy and stability, red symbolizes the blood shed in the struggle for the Fatherland, as well as the power, strength and energy of the whole people.
And what does each color of the Russian flag mean in an informal, comic interpretation? The colors of the flag in this regard have the following meanings: white - winter is snowy and cold, blue - vodka and alcoholism, red - beautiful women.
Interesting fact
Children and adults alike often confuse the arrangement of flag stripes by color. There is one interesting and effective way to permanently remember the correct order in the tricolor.
Everyone knows a rather formidable intelligence service called the KGB. If you delve into these letters are the first letters of the flag palette, however, you should read them from the bottom up:
- the letter K is red;
- letter G - blue (blue) color;
- the letter B is white.
More details on the meaning of flag colors
What does the white color of the Russian flag mean ?
There are different versions about the meaning of white:
- freedom and independence;
- peace, perfection, integrity and purity;
- historical region called White Russia (today Belarus).
What does blue color mean?
The central blue panel means:
- The Virgin is a symbol of her patronage over Russia;
- faith, wisdom, constancy and strength;
- historical region of Little Russia (the territory of modern Ukraine).
The value of the lower red color of the canvas.
It means the following:
- blood shed by the defenders of the Fatherland in battles;
- sovereignty;
- Great Russia (territory of the Russian Federation).
About the meaning of colors for children
What do the colors of the Russian flag (white, blue and red) mean for children? To instill respect for the symbols of the state of the country in which they live and study, the colors of the flag to facilitate memorization can be described more simply.
- White is conscience and purity. It is the color of white birches and endless Siberian forests.
- Blue is sublime and divine. These are blue clouds of immense sky, boundless seas and rivers of Russia.
- Red is courage. It symbolizes the red poppies on the spacious fields of Russia and the fire.