Introduction
The flag of Wrocław, Poland, is a distinctive bicolor design featuring two equal horizontal stripes. The top stripe is red and the bottom stripe is yellow or gold. In the center of the flag is the city's heraldic coat of arms, which is a key identifying feature.
The central coat of arms is a quartered shield displaying a crowned lion rampant and a black eagle on a silver field. This emblem is placed directly on the bicolor field, creating a unified civic symbol. The flag's design is both simple in its layout and rich in its symbolic heraldic content.
As the official banner of one of Poland's largest and most historic cities, it is flown on municipal buildings and during official ceremonies. The combination of red and yellow is visually striking and immediately associated with the city's identity, distinguishing it from other Polish municipal flags.
Meaning & Symbolism
The red and yellow colors are derived directly from the city's coat of arms and have been associated with Wrocław for centuries. Red traditionally symbolizes courage, bravery, and the blood shed for the city, while yellow (gold) represents wealth, prosperity, and high ideals.
The central quartered coat of arms is packed with historical meaning. The crowned Bohemian lion on a red field represents the city's historical ties to the Kingdom of Bohemia. The black Silesian eagle with a silver crescent and cross on a gold field signifies its location within the historical region of Lower Silesia. Together, these symbols narrate the city's complex political history and its enduring identity.
History of the Wrocław Flag
The current flag design, incorporating the city's traditional coat of arms on a red and yellow bicolor, was officially adopted by the Wrocław City Council on May 24, 1990. This adoption occurred shortly after the political transformations in Poland, re-establishing the city's historical symbols.
The coat of arms itself has a much longer lineage, with origins dating back to the medieval period when Wrocław was granted city rights. Its core elements—the Bohemian lion and Silesian eagle—have been consistently used for centuries, though their specific artistic rendition and the shield's shape have evolved over time. The 1990 adoption formalized the modern, standardized version of these ancient symbols on the municipal flag.
Curiosities
- The flag's color scheme of red and yellow is identical to the flag of Spain, though the designs and symbols are completely different.
- Wrocław's coat of arms is one of the oldest municipal emblems in Poland, with documented use tracing back to the 13th century.
- The specific shade of red used on the flag is defined in the Pantone Matching System as Pantone 485 C.
Download Flag
Download the flag of Wrocław in high-quality SVG vector format or PNG raster images. SVG files can be scaled to any size without losing quality.
Construction Sheet
The flag's proportions are defined as a ratio of 5:8 (width to height). The field is divided into two equal horizontal bands of red (upper) and yellow (lower). The city's coat of arms is centered on the flag, with its height equal to 3/5 of the flag's height. The shield within the coat of arms maintains its traditional heraldic proportions and quartered design.
Flags Similar to Wrocław Flag
Spain
bicolor with off-center coat of arms · red/yellow
Vietnam
red/yellow star
Lithuania
yellow/green/red horizontal tricolor
Common Misidentifications
From a distance or in poor light, the red and yellow bicolor can be momentarily confused with the flag of Spain, though the central coat of arms is a clear differentiator.