View source for Flag of Hamburg

{{short description|Official flag of the German state of Hamburg}}

{{Infobox flag
| Name = Hamburg
| Nickname = ''Hamburgfahne''<br/>''Landesflagge''
| Image = Flag of Hamburg.svg
| Use = 110110
| Symbol = {{FIAV|110110}} {{FIAV|normal}} {{FIAV|Equal}}
| Proportion = 3:5
| Adoption = 1834
| Design = A red flag with the [[Coat of arms of Hamburg|lesser coat of arms]].
| Nickname2 = ''Hamburgische Staatsflagge''
| Image2 = Flagge Hamburg.svg
| Use2 = 010000
| Symbol2 = {{FIAV|010000}} {{FIAV|normal}} {{FIAV|Equal}}
| Proportion2 = 3:5
| Adoption2 = 1897
| Design2 = A red flag with the greater coat of arms.
| Nickname3=''Admiralitätsflagge''
| Image3 = Admiralty flag of Hamburg.svg
| Noborder3 = no
| Use3 = [[Jack (flag)|Jack]] 
| Symbol3 = {{FIAV|normal}} {{FIAV|Equal}}
| Proportion3 = 3:5
| Adoption3 = 1642
| Design3 = 
}}
There are three '''flags of [[Hamburg]]''', [[Germany]]. The ''Landesflagge'' (civil flag), the State flag of Hamburg (''Staatsflagge'') and the admiralty flag (''Admiralitätsflagge'') consist of the [[coat of arms of Hamburg]] on a red flag.

==Overview==
The civil flag shows a white castle with three towers on red background, which is used as a civil flag as a state flag for most purposes. (It was historically used as civil ensign as well.) The oldest seal with the castle is thought to date from 1241. The first flag featuring the current form was in the mid-16th century, although this was most probably a red field, a white [[escutcheon (heraldry)|escutcheon]] and red castle. After about 1623, the escutcheon began to be omitted, leaving a red castle on white or a white castle on red. It was only in 1751 that the white castle on red was decreed as the flag of Hamburg.<ref>{{Citation |author=Harry D. Schurdel |title=Flaggen und Wappen — Deutschland|year=2005 |language=de}}</ref> 

The civil flag is free for use to everybody. The '''state flag of Hamburg''' is only used by the [[Senate of Hamburg]] as the head of state. This flag was created in 1897 on the occasion of the opening of the new town hall. The '''Admiralty flag of Hamburg''' is used only for state buildings connected to the navigation and at the [[Jack (flag)|jacks]] of boats of Hamburg's [[Wasserschutzpolizei|Water Constabulary]], since there are no genuine warships under city command anymore. It portrays the admiralty coat of arms which have existed since 1642.<ref name="admi">{{Citation |author=Senate Chancellery |url=http://www.hamburg.de/wappen/ |title=Flaggen, Wappen und Logos |date=2006-06-17 |access-date=2008-08-13 |language=de}}</ref><ref>[http://hh.juris.de/hh/gesamt/Verf_HA.htm Constitution of Hamburg] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070610050056/http://hh.juris.de/hh/gesamt/Verf_HA.htm |date=June 10, 2007 }} (Article 5) {{in lang|de}} <br/>Article 5<br/>(1) The state colours are white-red.<br/>(2) The state coat-of-arms shows on a red escutcheon a white castle with three towers and a closed gate.<br/>(3) The state flag shows the white castle of the state coat-of-arms on a red field.<br/>(4) The law determines the details about the flag and the arms.</ref>

== Flags of boroughs in Hamburg ==
<gallery>
File:Flag of Altona, Hamburg.png|{{center|{{FIAV|normal}} [[Altona, Hamburg|Altona]]}}
File:Flag of Bergedorf, Hamburg.png|{{center|{{FIAV|normal}} [[Bergedorf]]}}
File:No flag.svg|{{center|[[Eimsbüttel]]}}
File:Flag of Hamburg.svg|{{center|{{FIAV|normal}} [[Hamburg-Mitte]]}}
File:No flag.svg|{{center|[[Hamburg-Nord]]}}
File:Flag of Harburg, Hamburg.png|{{center|{{FIAV|normal}} [[Harburg, Hamburg|Harburg]]}}
File:Flag of Wandsbek.png|{{center|{{FIAV|normal}} [[Wandsbek]]}}
</gallery>

==See also==
*[[Coat of arms of Hamburg]]
* [[Flags of German states]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commonscat-inline|Flags of Hamburg}}
* {{FOTW|title=Hamburg|id=de-hh}}

{{Hamburg}}
{{GermanFlags}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hamburg, Flag of}}
[[Category:Government of Hamburg|Flag]]
[[Category:Flags of cities in Germany]]
[[Category:Flags of states of Germany]]
[[Category:Culture in Hamburg|Flag]]
[[Category:Jacks (flags)]]
[[Category:Red and white flags]]
[[Category:Flags introduced in 1897|Hamburg]]