Flag of CataloniaCatalunya

What the flag looks like

The Catalan flag, known as the Senyera, consists of a golden-yellow field with four horizontal red stripes. The proportion is 2:3. The design has been in use since at least the 12th century, making it one of the oldest flags in Europe. It is also the basis for the flags of several other regions and territories that were historically part of the Crown of Aragon, including Aragon, Valencia, the Balearic Islands, Roussillon, Andorra and the city of Barcelona. The Senyera is used as the official flag of the autonomous community of Catalonia within Spain.

Colors and meaning

The golden-yellow field and the four red stripes are the heraldic colors of the House of Barcelona and the Crown of Aragon. According to legend, the design originated with Wilfred the Hairy (Guifré el Pilós), the 9th-century Count of Barcelona, whose golden shield was marked with four fingers dipped in his own blood after a battle. Historically, the colors represent the counts of Barcelona and, later, the kings of Aragon.

Golden-yellow field

Represents the golden field of the heraldic arms of the House of Barcelona and the Crown of Aragon. Yellow is a traditional heraldic color of nobility, generosity and light.

Four red stripes

Represent the four red bars (pals) on the coat of arms of the House of Barcelona. According to the 14th-century legend, Wilfred the Hairy, Count of Barcelona, was mortally wounded in battle against the Normans and dipped his fingers in his own blood, drawing four stripes across his golden shield — creating the emblem of his dynasty. The historical origin of the stripes is uncertain, but they appear on the seal of Ramon Berenguer IV, Count of Barcelona, in the 12th century.

Heraldic origin

The design is one of the oldest coats of arms in Europe, dating to at least the 12th century. It was the emblem of the counts of Barcelona, and when the House of Barcelona inherited the Kingdom of Aragon in 1137, the stripes became the emblem of the Crown of Aragon — a confederation that at its height included Catalonia, Aragon, Valencia, the Balearic Islands, Sicily, Sardinia, Naples and Athens.

Senyera vs Estelada

The Senyera is the official flag of Catalonia. A related flag, the Estelada, adds a blue triangle with a white star (or a yellow triangle with a red star for socialist variants) to the Senyera and is used by supporters of Catalan independence. The Estelada is not an official flag and is not used by the Catalan government.

History and adoption

The Senyera has been in use since at least the 12th century, when the four red stripes on a golden field appeared on the seals of the counts of Barcelona. As the counts of Barcelona became kings of Aragon, the design spread across the Crown of Aragon and its territories, and it became the emblem of Catalonia, Aragon, Valencia and the Balearic Islands. In the modern era, the Senyera was adopted as the official flag of the autonomous community of Catalonia when the region's statute of autonomy was approved in 1979, following the end of Franco's dictatorship (during which Catalan symbols were suppressed). The flag was retained in the 2006 statute of autonomy and remains the official flag of Catalonia today. The Estelada, a variant used by the independence movement, has been widely used since the early 20th century but is not an official symbol.

Key facts

Adopted

In use since the 12th century; official flag of Catalonia since 1979

Proportion

2:3

Designer

Traditional design attributed to Wilfred the Hairy (Guifré el Pilós)

Capital

Barcelona

Country code

ES-CT

Similar flags

Aragon, Valencia, Balearic Islands, Provence, Roussillon

Historical and related flags

The Senyera has been used in various forms for over 800 years, and several related flags exist.

• Senyera (12th century–present): Golden field with four red stripes, the original heraldic emblem of the House of Barcelona and the Crown of Aragon.
• Estelada blava (1904–present): Senyera with a blue triangle and white star, used by Catalan independence supporters.
• Estelada vermella (1968–present): Senyera with a yellow triangle and red star, used by socialist independence supporters.
• Flag of the Generalitat de Catalunya (1931–present): Official flag of the Catalan government, based on the Senyera.
• Flag of Valencia: Senyera with a blue band and additional elements.
• Flag of Aragon: Senyera with the Aragonese coat of arms in the center.
• Flag of the Balearic Islands: Senyera with a purple canton and additional elements.

Frequently asked questions

What does the flag of Catalonia look like?

The flag of Catalonia, known as the Senyera, is a golden-yellow field with four horizontal red stripes. The proportion is 2:3.

When was the flag of Catalonia adopted?

The current flag of Catalonia was officially adopted on In use since the 12th century; official flag of Catalonia since 1979.

What do the colors mean?

The golden-yellow field and the four red stripes are the heraldic colors of the House of Barcelona and the Crown of Aragon. According to legend, the design originated with Wilfred the Hairy (Guifré el Pilós), the 9th-century Count of Barcelona, whose golden shield was marked with four fingers dipped in his own blood after a battle. Historically, the colors represent the counts of Barcelona and, later, the kings of Aragon.

Which flags look similar to the Catalonia flag?

The flags of Aragon, Valencia, the Balearic Islands, Roussillon (France) and the city of Barcelona all use the same golden field with red stripes — the heraldic arms of the Crown of Aragon. Catalonia's Senyera is the original design, and the others differ in the number of stripes, proportions or additional emblems.