The Friulian flag

The Friulian flag is the flag of the historical region of Friuli.

According to art. 6, par. 1 bis of Regional Law no. 27 of 27 November 2001 of the Friuli-Venezia Giulia Autonomous Region, the flag “consists of a rectangular standard featuring at its centre a golden heraldic eagle with outspread wings, headturned to the left, open beak and red claws, set in a sky blue field. The crest covers three fifths of the height of the flag, which in turn is two thirds of its length.”

The flag is officially displayed in the public spaces of the municipalities belonging to the Friulian language minority community in addition to the flags of the Friuli-Venezia Giulia Autonomous Region, Italy and the EU. In particular, it is displayed by public bodies as well as private individuals on the occasion of the 3^rd of April, anniversary of the foundation of the patriarchal state of Aquileia, recognised as the “Fieste de Patrie dal Friûl” (Celebration of the Friulian homeland) by Regional Law no. 6 of 27 March 2015 of the Friuli-Venezia Giulia Autonomous Region. The Friulian flag is the seventh oldest standard in Europe (1334).

ORIGINS

The origins of the flag date back to the patriarchal state of Aquileia, also called Patria del Friuli or patriarchal state of Friuli, which ruled – from 1077 to 1420 – as a sovereign vassal state of the Holy Roman Empire over Friuli as well as other territories such as Istria, Cadore, Carinthia, Carniola and Styria for certain periods of time.

The most famous and earliest specimen of the patriarchal standard is displayed at the museum of the Duomo of Udine. It is a magnificent quadrangular (61 x 65.5 cm) grey-azure silk cloth featuring at its centre an eagle with its head turned to the left. Its body, claws and wings are yellow, whereas the claws are red. The standard was part of the funerary equipment of patriarch Bertrand of Saint Geniès, who was patriarch of Aquileia from 1334 to 1350 and was barbarously killed in a conspiracy by Friulian nobles.

However, it should be stressed that the eagle symbol characterised the patriarchal state of Friuli long before patriarch Bertrand. This is confirmed by numismatic finds that definitively trace the adoption of the patriarchal eagle back to the early 13^th century, when Wolfger von Erla was patriarch (from 1204 to 1218).

The Friulian flag should not be confused with the flag used by the administrative institution “Friuli-Venezia Giulia Autonomous Region” which can be deceiving as it features an eagle as well, although depicted in a different position. The regional flag is far more recent (1963) and has a different significance.

TECHNICAL FEATURES OF THE OFFICIAL FLAG:

The Friulian community’s flag is made up of a rectangular standard with at its centre a golden heraldic eagle with outspread wings, head turned to the left, open beakand red claws, set in a sky blue field.

The crest covers three fifths of the height of the flag, which in turn is two thirds of its length. Size in centimetres: 200×300, 150×225 and 100×150.

COLOURS

Sky blue: Pantone 300 U – CMYK 90-51-0-0
Red: Pantone 485 C – CMYK 0-100-100-0
Yellow: Pantone 108 U – CMYK 0-13-83-0
Black: Pantone P ProcessBlack U – CMYK 0-0-0-100

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