The Secret History Behind Gibraltar's Flag
Gibraltar's flag comes from a coat of arms that is more than five hundred years old.
The flag is white with a red stripe at the bottom and a red castle with a golden key in the middle. It is a banner of arms based on the coat of arms that Queen Isabella of Castile granted to Gibraltar by Royal Warrant on July 10, 1502. It had been in traditional use for a long time and was officially introduced in 1966. Gibraltar formally adopted it on November 8, 1982.
The castle stands for the fortress of Gibraltar. The key is the key to Spain and to the Mediterranean: the warrant described the city as the key between the kingdoms and the sentinel of the strait that every ship has to pass.
The date printed on every Gibraltar design in our catalog, July 13, 1713, is the date of the Treaty of Utrecht, which ceded Gibraltar to Britain.
A castle, a key and a very old warrant.
Looking for a gift with a story? See our heritage gift guide, or read the story behind any other country's flag on our free Flag Stories page.