Paysandú (Uruguay)

Last modified: 2005-03-19 by francisco gregoric
Keywords: paysandú | arerunguá | artigas (josé gervasio) | mburucuyá flower | flower | giordano (silvio) |
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• Description of the flag

• Uruguay
• Departments of Uruguay

• Department government website about local symbols
  reported by Francisco Gregoric, 12 Oct 2004

This flag has three horizontal stripes: blue-white-blue, with one red thin stripe over each blue stripe. In the centre of the white stripe there is a flower: the mburucuyá flower (Passiflora coerulea). The mburucuyá flower has three pistils that represent the three historical defences of Paysandú City. In popular tradition the mburucuyá flower, called "La Pasionaria" (Passion-flower), symbolizes the Passion of the Lord: the spined crown, the three nails with Jesus was crucified and the five stigmas that injured him.
Diego Soares de Lima Cavestany, 11 Oct 2004

Paysandú flag was first raised on 2 June 1992, and it was designed by Silvio Giordano. The design is based on a Federalist flag used during early 1815, in José Artigas' camp in Arerunguá.

Some Argentine authors say that this flag was used as the first Provincial flag of Corrientes also. In Uruguay that historical flag is known as "Flag of the League of the Free Peoples", or just "Arerunguá Flag"

The differences with the historical flag are the central symbol added to the central white stripe in Paysandú flag and the proportions: in present day flag the white stripe is wider than in the 1815 flag.

The proportions of the Paysandú flag are 1+1+1+6+1+1+1. The white stripe is twice the wide of a blue stripe (with red stripe included).
Francisco Gregoric, 12 Oct 2004