The Nordic Cross Flag, Nordic Cross, or Scandinavian Cross is a pattern of flags usually associated with the flags of the Scandinavian countries of which it originated. All of the Nordic countries have adopted such flags. The cross design, which represents Christianity, is depicted extending to the edges of the flag with the vertical part of the cross shifted to the hoist side, rather than centred on the flag. All Scandinavian flags may be flown as gonfalons as well.
The first flag with the design was the Danish Dannebrog; thereafter, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland, and some of their subdivisions used this as inspiration for their own flags. The Norwegian flag was the first Nordic cross flag with three colours. Though the flags share this pattern, they have individual histories and symbolism.
Some of the flags in this list do not have official status. Also, note that flag proportions may vary between the different flags and sometimes even between different versions of the same flag.
Read more about Nordic Cross Flag: Flags of The Nordic Countries, Flags of Germany, Flags of The United Kingdom, Flags of Estonia, Flags of Latvia, Flags of Ethnic or Linguistic Groups, Flags Elsewhere That Feature The Nordic Cross or Similar Design, Non-Nordic Cross Flags of Areas Associated With The Nordic Countries, Image Gallery
Famous quotes containing the words cross and/or flag:
“Life is a bridge. Cross over it, but build no house on it.”
—Indian proverb, quoted in Bruce Chatwin, The Songlines, ch. 30, “From the Notebooks” (1987)
“My dream is that as the years go by and the world knows more and more of America, it ... will turn to America for those moral inspirations that lie at the basis of all freedom ... that America will come into the full light of the day when all shall know that she puts human rights above all other rights, and that her flag is the flag not only of America but of humanity.”
—Woodrow Wilson (1856–1924)