Swiss Flag Day is celebrated annually on December 12th. This holiday was established in honor of one historical event.
It was on December 12, 1889, that the Swiss flag was officially established. It consists of a square panel in red with a white cross in the center. The flag is square in shape, which is unusual for European flags.
Among European countries, the Swiss Confederation has the most laconic symbolism: a white shortened cross on a red shield. This is the common coat of arms of twenty-six independently governed regions, which in French are commonly called cantons.
During the seven centuries of independent Switzerland, many different cantonal coats of arms changed, while the union emblem looked simple and changed slightly.
At first, the common emblem of the Swiss was simple red banners and shields. The white cross on the red shield first became the hallmark of the Swiss riflemen in 1339. This happened at the Battle of Laupen, when neighboring feudal rulers again tried to conquer Switzerland. True, in those days the ends of the cross reached the edges of the shield.
Today, Flag Day in Switzerland, although not a day off, is celebrated as a day of veneration of the state emblem. On this day, flags are hung on all government institutions in the country, various educational events are held in educational institutions, and miniature images of the Swiss flag are in great demand in souvenir shops.