Flags with the Scandinavian Cross
9 national Scandinavian-cross flags, with notes on the history and symbolism behind the design.
About Scandinavian Cross
The Scandinavian or Nordic cross is a horizontal cross whose vertical arm is shifted toward the hoist (the side closest to the flagpole). It originated with the Dannebrog of Denmark — by tradition adopted in 1219 and the oldest continuously used national flag in the world — and was adapted by Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, Åland, and several other northern territories. The pattern signals shared Lutheran-Christian heritage and centuries of political union among the Nordic kingdoms (the Kalmar Union, Denmark-Norway, Sweden-Norway). Each country distinguishes its flag through color: red and white for Denmark, blue and yellow for Sweden, blue, white and red for Norway and Iceland, white and blue for Finland. The Scandinavian cross is one of the clearest examples of a regional flag family, where a single visual grammar binds together a cluster of neighboring states.
All Flags with the Scandinavian Cross (9)
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