Serbia Flag Meaning
A horizontal tricolor of red, blue, and white with the national coat of arms offset toward the hoist. The coat of arms features a double-headed white eagle, the Serbian cross, and a royal crown.
- Continent
- Europe
- Adopted
- 2004
- Ratio
- 2:3
- Colors
- red, blue, white, gold
- Designer
- Based on traditional Pan-Slavic tricolor, with the coat of arms officially added 2004
Symbolism
Red, Blue, White Stripes: Pan-Slavic colors, also interpreted as blood shed for freedom (red), sky and truth (blue), and purity and light (white).
Double-Headed Eagle: Represents the Byzantine heritage and the Serbian Orthodox Church.
Serbian Cross: Four stylized firesteels forming a cross, symbolizing the motto 'Only Unity Saves the Serbs.'
Royal Crown: Represents the monarchy and historical sovereignty of Serbia.
History
- 12th–14th Centuries: The medieval Serbian Kingdom and later Empire flourished under the Nemanjić dynasty.
- 1389: Battle of Kosovo marked Ottoman dominance, leading to centuries of foreign rule.
- 19th Century: National uprisings against Ottoman rule led to modern Serbian independence.
- 1918: Serbia became part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes (later Yugoslavia).
- 1990s: Following the breakup of Yugoslavia, Serbia was central in regional conflicts and international sanctions.
- 2006: Serbia became an independent state after Montenegro voted to leave the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro.
Trivia
- Belgrade, the capital, is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Europe.
- Serbia is landlocked, but the Danube River provides major trade and transport routes.
- The national flag is visually similar to Russia’s, but reversed in color order and distinguished by the coat of arms.
- Serbia is famous for medieval monasteries with frescoes considered world cultural treasures.
- The Serbian language uses both Cyrillic and Latin alphabets officially.
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