The Flag of Bulgaria - Description of the Bulgarian Flag
As the above picture of the Bulgarian Flag indicates the background is tri-color - Red, green and white
The description of the Bulgarian Flag is as follows:
three equal horizontal bands of white (top), green, and red
According to Ancient and Heraldic traditions much symbolism is associated with colors. The colors on the Bulgarian flag represent the following:
White - peace and honesty
Red - hardiness, bravery, strength & valour
Green - hope, joy and love and in many cultures have a sacred significance
All Flag pictures depict flags flying, from the viewer's point of view, from left to right
The shape and flag ratio of the Bulgarian flag is described as 2:3 ( length 1½ times the height )
The Meaning & History of the Bulgarian Flag - the national emblem formerly on the hoist side of the white stripe has been removed from the flag - it contained a rampant lion within a wreath of wheat ears below a red five-pointed star and above a ribbon bearing the dates 681 (first Bulgarian state established) and 1944 (liberation from Nazi control)
Flag Terminology - Did you Know ?
The design and description uses specific flag terminology based on Heraldic principles
Animal blazons should always appear with the heads facing the flag - staff side
The Study of the Flags is called Vexillology
Your interest in flags makes you a Vexillologist!
Increase your knowledge - Play the Flag Quiz
Flag History & Evolution:
The idea of flying a flag grew from the requirements of ancient warfare and the battlefield
Shields were painted with emblems to identify Friend or Foe
Warriors needed to know where their leaders were - the custom of carrying a pole was adopted
An emblem such as a shield, animal or religious device was attached to the pole for identification
The emblems were also used for identity and to cover suits of armour - Coats of Arms were born
These emblems were the forerunners of modern flags
The Romans were the first to use a cloth flag - they were square and fastened to cross bars at the end of spears - the idea of fastening a flag to the side of a pole soon followed
The strict rules of Heraldry are still used when designing an emblem and creating a modern flag
Bulgarian Flag Etiquette
Bulgarian Flag etiquette is very strict and is is essential that Flag protocols and rules are followed correctly
Basic Flag Etiquette applies to all nations, including Bulgarian as follows:
Etiquette relating to the order of precedence for the flag
National Flag of Bulgarian
State Flag of Bulgarian
Military Flag of Bulgarian (in order of creation date)
Other Flag of Bulgarian
The United Nations uses alphabetical order when presenting a national flag including the Bulgarian Flag. Their flag etiquette ensures that no one country's flag has precedence over another country's flag
The National flag of Bulgarian should never be flown above another national flag on the same staff as this would suggest superiority, or conversely, inferiority of one flag, or Nation, over another
The Bulgarian flag should never be allowed to drag along the ground
A tattered or faded flag of Bulgarian should be removed and replaced with a new flag
Due care and consideration must be taken to ensure that the Bulgarian flag is always flown the correct way up
A Flag of Bulgarian, when in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem of display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning in private with all due care and respect
Terminology & Etiquette in Bulgarian Flag display
Hoist - the act or function of raising the Bulgarian flag, as on a rope
Half Staff or Half Mast - the Bulgarian flag is hoisted to half of the potential height of the flag pole to denote grief and mourning
Performed by first raising the Bulgarian flag to the top, then lowering the Bulgarian Flag halfway
Distress - denoted by flying the Bulgarian flag upside-down
Manner of hoisting - The Bulgarian flag should be hoisted briskly and lowered ceremoniously
No disrespect should be shown to the Bulgarian flag
The Bulgarian flag should never be fastened, displayed, used, or stored in such a manner as to permit the Flag to be easily torn, soiled, or damaged in any way
The Bulgarian flag should never have placed upon it, nor on any part of it, nor attached to it any mark, insignia, letter, word, figure, design, picture, or drawing on the flag of any nature
The Bulgarian flag should be hoisted first and lowered last
International Flag relating to Bulgarian Flag usage forbids the display of the flag of one nation above that of another nation in time of peace
We hope that the presentation of facts and information regarding Bulgarian Flag Etiquette has provided a useful resource.
Bulgaria
Location:
South-eastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Romania and Turkey
Bulgarian Main Industries : electricity, gas and water; food, beverages and tobacco; machinery and equipment, base metals, chemical products, coke, refined petroleum, nuclear fuel
Main Colors of the Bulgarian Flag : Red, green and white
The Slavs The Slavic people who were the most numerous ethnic group in Europe:
The 'West Slavs' were the Poles, the Czechs and the Slovaks
The 'East Slavs' consisted of Russians, Ukrainians and Belarusians
The 'South Slavs' consisted of Bulgarian, Romanian, Croats, Macedonians Serbs and Slovenians
In the early Middle Ages Slavs were often used as slaves which is possibly the origin of the generic term 'Slavs'
Concise History of Bulgaria & its Flag
4,000 BC First known inhabitants were Thracians who lived in the area of Varna on the Black Sea
359-336BC Philip II ruled the Kingdom of Macedonia
585BC The Greeks, Byzantines and Turks settled in the area
15 BC The Romans had begun to extend their empire to include Bulgaria
50-100AD - The spread of Christianity
476 AD The Roman Empire collapsed
650 The Bulgars founded a kingdom in the south-eastern Balkans that became known as Bulgaria
864 Khan Boris of the Bulgarians is baptized as an Orthodox Christian; the Bulgarians adopt Christianity from Constantinople 867 Basil I becomes the Byzantine emperor and establishes the Macedonian dynasty
1014 Oct 6, The Byzantine Emperor Basil earned the title "Slayer of Bulgers" after he ordered the blinding of 15,000 Bulgarian troops
1878 Mar 3, Russia and the Ottomans (Turkish Empire) signed the treaty of San Stefano and lost its possession of Bulgaria and Romania
Russians gained influence over the Ottoman Empire and an autonomous Bulgarian state was created
1885 Nov 17, The Serbian Army, with Russian support, invade Bulgaria but re repulsed by the Bugarians led by Stefan Stambolov
1885 Nov 26 Bulgaria moves into Serbia
1886 Mar 3, The Treaty of Bucharest concludes the Serb - Bulgarian war
1886 The Cathedral of the Assumption was built in Varna
1894 Jan 30 - Boris III czar of Bulgaria (1918-43) was born (1894 - 1943)
1903 Sep 8 - Monastir Massacre when between 30,000 and 50,000 Bulgarian men, women and children were massacred in Monastir by Turkish troops seeking to check a threatened Macedonian uprising
1912 Oct 17 - Bulgaria, Greece and Serbia declare war on Turkey starting the First Balkan War
1913 Mar 26 - The Bulgarian capture of Adrianople, ending the First Balkan War
1913 Jun 30, Fighting broke out between Bulgaria and ex-allies Greece and Spain starting the Second Balkan War
1913 Aug 10, The Treaty of Bucharest ended the Second Balkan War
1914 - 1918 First World War - Bulgaria fights on the losing side
1919 Nov 27, Bulgaria signed peace treaty with Allies and recognizes Yugoslavian independence
1930 Oct 4, King Boris Cobourgh-Gotha III married Giovanna of Savoy, the daughter of King Vittorio Emanuele
1933 Feb 27, Germany's parliament building, the Reichstag, caught fire. The Nazis blamed the Communists and used the fire as a pretext for suspending civil liberties and increasing their power
1939-1945 World War 11
1943 Dec 10, Allied forces bomb Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria
1943 King Boris Cobourgh-Gotha III dies shortly after he yielded to pressure from Adolph Hitler to ally with Nazi Germany
August 1945 The United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Prince Simeon accedes to the thrown
1946 Sep 8 Bulgaria abolishes the Bulgarian monarchy
1950 Feb 21 The United States formally broke relations with Bulgaria
1955 May 14 Representatives from eight Communist bloc countries: Soviet Union, Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, Poland & Romania, signed the Warsaw Pact in Poland
1971 May 18 Bulgarian constitution is created based on Communism
1989 Nov - Communist ruler Todor Zhivkov was thrown out of office after a 35-year Bulgarian dictatorship
1990 Feb 3 The Bulgarian parliament elected Andrei Lukanov to replace a hard-line Communist as Bulgarian premier
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The Bulgarian Flag and Nation
We hope that the presentation of facts and information regarding the Bulgarian Flag and Country has provided a useful educational resource. To improve your knowledge of Flags and Vexillology still further check out the Flags and Nations Index and test your knowledge with our interactive, multi-choice, picture-based Flag Trivia Quiz Game - it's fast and it's fun! If you answer all questions correctly you will earn the right to enter the Vexillologist Hall of Fame!
