View source for Flag of the Czech Republic

{{Short description|none}}
{{hatnote|"Flag of Czechoslovakia" redirects here. For the flag of Slovakia, see [[Flag of Slovakia]].}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2015}}
{{Infobox flag
| Name = Czech Republic
| Article = 
| Nickname = ''Státní vlajka České republiky''
| Image = Flag of the Czech Republic.svg
| Use = 110111
| Symbol = {{FIAV|110111}} {{FIAV|normal}} {{FIAV|Vertical normal}}
| Proportion = 2:3
| Adoption = {{start date and age|1920|03|30|df=y}}<br><small>(Czechoslovakia and later the Czech Republic)</small>
| Design = Two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side.
| Designer = Jaroslav Kursa
| Image2 = War Flag of the Czech Republic.svg
| Noborder2 = yes
| Nickname2 = 
| Morenicks2 = 
| Use2 = [[Colours, standards and guidons|Unit colour]]
| Symbol2 = {{FIAV|001000}} {{FIAV|normal}}
| Proportion2 = 1:1
| Adoption2 = {{start date and age|1993|df=y}}
| Design2 = 
| Designer2 = 
}}

The '''flag of the Czech Republic''' ({{langx|cs|státní vlajka České republiky}}) is the same as the flag of the former [[Czechoslovakia]]. Upon the [[dissolution of Czechoslovakia]] in December 1992, the [[Czech Republic]] kept the Czechoslovak flag while [[Slovakia]] adopted [[Flag of Slovakia|its own flag]]. The first flag of Czechoslovakia was based on the [[flag of Bohemia]] and was white over red. This was almost identical to the [[flag of Poland]] (only the proportion was different) officially adopted in 1919, so a blue triangle was added at the [[Hoist (flag)|hoist]] in 1920. The flag was banned by the [[Nazi Germany|Nazis]] in 1939 as they established a [[Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia|government nominally in control of Bohemia and Moravia]], and a horizontal tricolour of white, red, and blue was used for the duration of the war. The 1920–1939 flag was restored in 1945.

== History ==
The traditional colours of the Czech lands originated from an 1192 coat of arms (depicting a [[rampant]] lion with a double silver tail on a [[Field (heraldry)|field]] of red).

After the establishment of an independent [[Czechoslovakia]] in 1918, the country had been using the red and white [[flag of Bohemia]], almost identical to the [[Flag of Poland|Polish flag]] officially adopted in 1919. Following calls for a new flag to be adopted, a committee picked a design by Jaroslav Kursa, an archivist in the [[Ministry of the Interior (Czech Republic)|Czechoslovak Ministry of the Interior]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://web.uhk.cz/cvp/TZ03%20O_autorovi_vlajky.doc|title=Czech society of vexicologists on the origin of the Czechoslovak state flag|language=cs|access-date=2007-12-10|format=MS Word}}</ref> His design included the red and white horizontal stripes derived from the [[Coat of arms of the Czech Republic|coat of arms of Bohemia]] and added a blue [[Chevron (flag)|chevron]] extended halfway.

The flag was officially approved by the [[Parliament of the Czech Republic|National Assembly of Czechoslovakia]] on 30 March 1920 and since then, it has been in continuous use, with the exception of the [[German occupation of Czechoslovakia]] during the [[Second World War]].<ref>Government of the Czech Republic [http://www.vlada.cz/en/clenove-vlady/historie-minulych-vlad/historie-statni-vlajky/the-czech-republics-national-flag-19198/ The Czech Republic's national flag]. Retrieved 4 March 2011.</ref> Additionally, during a short period following the [[Velvet Revolution]], between 1990 and 1992, the Czech part of the Czechoslovak federated state adopted the previous red and white flag.<ref>[https://www.psp.cz/sqw/sbirka.sqw?cz=67&r=1990 Law defining state symbols of the Czech Republic] 67/1990 Sb, from 13 March 1990</ref>

During the 1992 negotiations on the [[Dissolution of Czechoslovakia#National symbols|split of Czechoslovakia]], a clause forbidding the use of the state symbols of Czechoslovakia by either successor state was inserted into the legislation concerning the dissolution of the federation.<ref>[http://www.zakonypreludi.sk/zz/1992-542 Ústavný zákon č. 542/1992 Zb. o zániku Českej a Slovenskej Federatívnej Republiky], Čl.&nbsp;3 ods.&nbsp;2<br/>(''Constitutional act. No.&nbsp;542/1992&nbsp;Col. on the dissolution of the Czech and Slovak Federative Republic, art.&nbsp;3 sect.&nbsp;2'')</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Zeman|first=Jiří|date=2011|title=K některým otázkám používání české státní vlajky a vlajky Evropské unie|url=https://journals.muni.cz/cpvp/article/view/6377|journal=Časopis pro právní vědu a praxi|language=Czech|volume=19|issue=2|pages=163–169|issn=1805-2789|via=Journals.Muni.Cz}}</ref> However, the Czech Republic kept the use of the flag.<ref name="law3/1993">[http://www.psp.cz/docs/laws/1993/3.html Law defining state symbols of the Czech Republic] 3/1993 Sb, from 17 December 1992</ref><ref>[https://www.britannica.com/topic/flag-of-the-Czech-Republic Whitney Smith, "Flag of the Czech Republic", ''Encyclopedia Britannica''.]</ref>

{{gallery items|width=180
|[[File:Banner of Přemyslid family.svg|x100px]]|Medieval Banner of the [[Duchy of Bohemia]] under the [[Přemyslid dynasty]]
|[[File:Royal banner of the Kingdom of Bohemia (colorful).svg|x100px]]|Medieval [[Flag of Bohemia|Royal Banner of arms]] of the [[Kingdom of Bohemia]]
|[[File:Flag of Bohemia.svg|border|x100px]]|[[Kingdom of Bohemia]]<br/>until 1918
|[[File:Flag of Bohemia.svg|border|x100px]]|[[First Czechoslovak Republic]]<br/>1918–1920
|[[File:Flag of Czechoslovakia.svg|border|x100px]]|[[First Czechoslovak Republic|First]] and [[Second Czechoslovak Republic|Second<br>Czechoslovak Republic]]<br/>1920–1939<br/>[[Czechoslovakia]]<br/>1945–1992|[[File:Flag of Bohmen und Mahren.svg|border|x100px]]|[[Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia|Protectorate of<br>Bohemia and Moravia]]<br/>1939–1945
|15=[[File:Flag of Bohemia.svg|border|x100px]]|16=[[Czech Socialist Republic|Czech Republic]] within Czechoslovakia (1990–1992)|17=[[File:Flag of the Czech Republic.svg|border|x100px]]|18=[[Czech Republic]]<br/>since 1993|19=}}

===Czechoslovakia===
{{gallery|mode=nolines|whitebg=y|height=100
|Flag of Czechoslovakia.svg|Flag of Czechoslovakia.<br>(1920–1992) [[File:FIAV historical.svg|23px]]
|Naval Ensign of Czechoslovakia 1935-1939 1945-1955.svg|Naval Ensign of Czechoslovakia.<br>(1930–1955) [[File:FIAV historical.svg|23px]] [[File:FIAV 000001.svg|20px]]
|Naval ensign of Czechoslovakia (1955–1960).svg|Naval Ensign of Czechoslovakia.<br>(1955–1960) [[File:FIAV historical.svg|23px]] [[File:FIAV 000001.svg|20px]]
|Czechoslovak People's Army Flag.svg|War flag of Czechoslovakia.<br>(1960–1990) [[File:FIAV historical.svg|23px]] [[File:FIAV 001000.svg|20px]]
}}

====Design contest (1918–1920)====
{{gallery|mode=nolines|whitebg=y|height=100
|Flag of Czechoslovak National Council.svg|Flag of the [[Czechoslovak National Council]] in [[Paris]] (1916–1918)
|Flag of the Czech Republic alt.svg|Original proposed flag by Jaroslav Kursa (1919)
|Czech and Slovak American flag.svg|Proposed flag by Czech and Slovak American Association in 1918
|Flag of Czechoslovakia (1920 proposal).svg|Czechoslovakia proposed flag in 1920
}}

== Dimensions ==
{{multiple image
| direction         = vertical
| width1            = 150
| image1            = Czech flag construction.svg
| caption1          = Geometry
| width2            = 150
| image2            = Flag of Czech Republic (vertical hoisting).svg
| caption2          = Vertical hoisting
}}
The [[blazon]] of this flag is ''per [[Pall (heraldry)|pall]] [[fess]]wise [[Argent]], [[Azure (heraldry)|Azure]], and [[Gules]]''. The flag is formed from an [[isosceles triangle]] that extends halfway along the rectangle (a common mistake is to draw it shorter) and two bands: one white and one red. The most similar foreign flag is the [[flag of the Philippines]] but the latter has dimensions 1:2, the three colours permuted, and additional golden-yellow symbols added on it.
<gallery>
File:Tricolour_of_the_Czech_Republic.svg|[[National colours of the Czech Republic|Czech Republic tricolour]]
</gallery>

===Flag colours===

Czech law does not prescribe specific shades for the colours used in the national flag. The 1993 legislation refers only to the colours white, red, and blue, without providing detailed specifications regarding their exact tones. However, the law includes an annex featuring an illustration of the flag that employs saturated and rich versions of each colour.<ref name="law3/1993"/> 

==Presidential flag==
{{Infobox flag
| Name = Flag of the president
| Image = Flag of the President of the Czech Republic.svg
| Proportion = 1:1
| Use = [[Presidential standard|Presidential flag]]
| Designer = [[Jiří Louda]]<ref name=aktuality/>
}}
Another Czech [[National symbols of the Czech Republic|official symbol]] is the [[Presidential standard|flag]] of the [[president of the Czech Republic]]. It was first introduced in 1918 for the [[List of Presidents of Czechoslovakia|president of Czechoslovakia]]. The current version, which was designed by heraldist [[Jiří Louda]],<ref name=aktuality>{{cite news |title=Zomrel heraldik Jiří Louda, autor českého štátneho znaku a prezidentskej zástavy |url=http://www.aktuality.sk/clanok/303287/zomrel-heraldik-jiri-louda-autor-ceskeho-statneho-znaku-a-prezidentskej-zastavy/ |work=Aktuality.sk |date=2015-09-02 |access-date=2015-09-28 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150929143855/http://www.aktuality.sk/clanok/303287/zomrel-heraldik-jiri-louda-autor-ceskeho-statneho-znaku-a-prezidentskej-zastavy/ |archive-date=29 September 2015 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> was adopted upon the creation of an independent Czech Republic in 1993.

== See also ==
* [[List of Czech flags]]
* [[Flag of the Philippines]]

==Literature==
* Zbyšek Svoboda, Pavel Fojtík: brochure ''Naše vlajka. Vznik a vývoj české vlajky'' (''Our Flag. Origin and evolution of the Czech flag''), Libea, 2005, {{ISBN|80-239-5862-3}}.
* Petr Exner, Pavel Fojtík, Zbyšek Svoboda: brochure ''Vlajky, prapory a jejich používání'' (''Flags, banners and their use''), Libea, 2004, {{ISBN|80-239-2873-2}}.

== References ==
<references/>

== External links ==
{{Commons category|National flag of the Czech Republic}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20050308084440/http://vexilolognet.hyperlink.cz/Symboly.htm History of the Czech and Czechoslovak flag] {{in lang|cs}}
*{{FOTW|id=cz|title=Czech Republic}}
*[http://all-czech.com/learnmore/flag-of-the-czech-republic/ Czech flag - facts, history, colors] {{in lang|cs}}
*"[https://english.radio.cz/flag-expert-czechs-only-bring-out-their-flag-emotional-times-8104513 Flag expert: Czechs only bring out their flag in emotional times]" by Daniela Lazarová

{{Czech Republic topics}}
{{Flag of Europe}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Czechia, Flag of}}
[[Category:National flags]]
[[Category:Flags of the Czech Republic| ]]
[[Category:National symbols of the Czech Republic|Flag]]
[[Category:Flags introduced in 1920]]
[[Category:Flags with blue, red and white]]
[[Category:1920 establishments in Czechoslovakia|Flag]]
[[Category:National symbols of Czechoslovakia|Flag]]