The Secret History Behind Portugal's Flag

Portugal's flag is a republic's flag: it was chosen after the monarchy fell.

The monarchy was overthrown on October 5, 1910, and the new government formed a committee to design a new national flag. The committee chose red and green, the colors of the Republican Party. Green stands for hope and red for the blood of those who died defending the nation. The design is credited to the painter Columbano Bordalo Pinheiro.

At the dividing line sits the coat of arms: the Portuguese shield over a golden armillary sphere, which recalls the Age of Discovery. The flag was presented on December 1, 1910, and the official decree approving it was published on June 30, 1911.

The date printed on every Portugal design in our catalog, October 5, 1143, is the traditional date of the Treaty of Zamora, when Afonso Henriques was recognized as king. Coincidentally, October 5 is also the day the monarchy fell in 1910.

A sphere of discovery, in the colors of a revolution.

See the Portugal Age Of Discovery Tee → · Browse the South Europe collection → — or explore the story behind any other country's flag on our free Flag Story Cards page.