Gibraltar Flag

Description

The Gibraltar flag is available from Flags Online in full-size and desk formats, printed on both sides and made to last outdoors.

About the Gibraltar Flag

Two bold horizontal bands of white and red, with a red three-towered castle and a gold key hanging from it, make up the Gibraltar flag. It is one of the more distinctive flags flown by a British Overseas Territory, drawing directly on heraldry that is centuries old rather than on any modern design brief. Anyone who has spent time on the Rock will recognise the castle-and-key image from crests and signage across the territory.

Colours and Symbolism

The white band takes up roughly two-thirds of the Gibraltar flag, with a narrower red band along the bottom edge. The red castle sits mostly within the white field, its three towers suggesting a fortress standing firm at the entrance to the Mediterranean. The gold key hanging from the castle gate is the flag’s most telling emblem: Gibraltar has long been described as the key to the Mediterranean, a reference to its command of the narrow strait separating Europe from Africa. Together the castle and key point to Gibraltar’s identity as a fortified gateway rather than an ordinary settlement.

History of the Gibraltar Flag

The castle and key device is far older than the flag itself. It comes from a coat of arms granted to the city of Gibraltar by the Catholic Monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella, in 1502, not long after the Reconquista. That coat of arms was used on seals and civic documents for centuries afterwards, under both Spanish and, from 1704, British control. It was not until 1982 that the design was formally adopted as the territory’s civil flag, giving Gibraltar its own banner distinct from the Union Flag it had flown throughout its history as a British territory. The red and white colours echo Spain’s own flag, a reminder of Gibraltar’s origins before it passed to Britain.

Flying and Displaying the Flag

The Gibraltar flag is flown throughout the territory alongside the Union Flag, on government buildings, at the airport and along Main Street during public holidays and civic occasions. Gibraltar Day, held each September, sees the flag flown particularly widely as residents mark the territory’s right to self-determination. As with most flags built around a specific charge, it should be flown with the castle upright and the key hanging correctly rather than inverted. It is a familiar sight on car flags, football shirts and souvenirs, making it one of the more recognisable small-territory flags anywhere in the world.

Gibraltar Flag Sizes and Pricing

• 180 x 120cm — R860
• 22 x 15cm Desk Flag (10 units) — R800
• 10 x 15cm Desk Flag (10 units) — R650
• 90 x 60cm — R400

Material and Construction

Made from 100% polyester bunting material and digitally printed on both sides. Hemmed all around with two rows of stitching and finished with a polyester webbing heading. Rope and toggle for hoisting included.

Supplied in packs of 10. Printed on both sides onto polyester and supplied with a black plastic stick and removable base — take the base off and it doubles as a hand waving flag.

Ordering and Delivery

Every Gibraltar flag is printed to order and dispatched from our Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) and Johannesburg branches, with courier delivery nationwide. Bulk and school orders are welcome — contact us for volume pricing on quantities of 10 or more.

Additional information