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Asunción City, Paraguay

Ciudad de Asunción (Distrito Capital)

5:8
image by Francisco Gregoric, 20 May 2008

Presentation of Asunción
About the flag
Coat of arms

See also:

Asunción City government official website

Francisco Gregoric

Presentation of Asunción

Asunción, the capital city of the Republic of Paraguay, is located next to the Paraguay River. It was founded on August 15, 1537 by Captain Juan de Salazar y Espinoza, being one of the oldest cities in South America. It has more that 500,000 habitants (the most populated city in the country) and it is the most important port, economical and cultural center of Paraguay.
Francisco Gregoric, 20 May 2008

About the flag

Flag Report [frp] published in July 2002 the flag of Asunción. Later in 2005, this information was confirmed by Michel Lupant and published (September 2006) in Franciae Vexilla [frv] 43/89. According to Michel Lupant the ratio of the flag he sees is 1:2 instead of 2:3.
Jaume Ollé, 24 Feb 2007

The flag of Asunción was adopted on December 11, 1961 by municipal decree No. 4635. and first raised on December 24, 1961.

According to the text of that legislation, the flag size is 1m wide by 1.60 m long. Therefore the official ratio of the flag is 5:8. We are bound to see flag with different proportions, but they are not official.

Each red stripe is 25 cm wide, and the central white stripe is 50 cm wide, which makes the field of the flag of three horizontal stripes of 1.2.1

The red color recalls the color of the field of the royal coat of arms of Spain that appeared in the traditional standard (banner) of the Cabildo (City Hall) of Asunción City in colonial times.

In the central white stripe the coat of arms of Asunción appears. Since the creation of the flag in 1961, the charges on the arms have experienced some changes in the way they are represented. The changes have been just details, but the same elements are always represented. These cosmetic changes were made in 1965, 1992 and 2001.
Francisco Gregoric, 20 May 2008

Other sites:

PDF file with the city flag legislation in the website of Asunción legislature.
reported by Francisco Gregoric, 20 May 2008

Coat of arms

The present variant of the municipal coat of arms was established on December 12, 2001, by municipal decree No. 208. This legislation just changed minor details in the coat of arms. The basic elements are the traditional same ones that have appeared in Asunción City coats of arms.

The coat of arms of the city is quartered with the following elements:

In the first quarter an image of the Virgin Nuestra Señora de la Asunción (Our Lady of the Assumption) over a cloud ascending to the sky. That is the Virgin that gives its name to the city of Asunción.

In the second quarter, an image of San Blas (Saint Blas) blessing with his right hand and holding his crosier with his left hand. San Blas was a priest and lawyer originally from Paraguay.

In the third quarter a castle representing the fortification that gave origin to the city and from where several expeditions, that founded other cities, started. The open door and window of the castle stand for the hospitality of the city.

In the fourth quarter a lion, a leafy tree and a palm tree. The leafy tree represents the tree of Viscaya (Spain), the place where the founder of Asunción Domingo Martínez de Irala was born. The lion stands for the Spaniards conquistadores (conquerors) who were mainly from the kingdoms of Castilla y León. It also stands for the courage of the people of Asunción. Finally the palm tree represents the native element. The tail of the lion around the palm tree, represent the union between the Spanish and the Guarani people.

All the fields of the coat of arms are blue. This color represents Justice, Perseverance, Loyalty, Piety, Nobility, Sweetness and Zeal to fulfill the Duty.

All the figures are silver (white). That metal recalls the quest for the Sierra de Plata (Silver Hill) that originated the foundation of Asunción. It also stands for Faith, Humility, Innocence, Happiness, Purity, Mildness, Truth, Beauty, Frankness, Cleaning and Integrity, virtues that are added to the one of the blue color.
Francisco Gregoric, 20 May 2008

Other sites:

PDF file with the city coat of arms legislation in the website of Asunción legislature.
reported by Francisco Gregoric, 20 May 2008

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