Flag of Paredes de Coura

The flag of Paredes de Coura has four quarters, yellow and blue, with the arms of the town in the centre. The arms show three ears of maize tied between two crossed sickles. Paredes de Coura is in the Alto Minho, in the district of Viana do Castelo.

How it came about

Flag and coat of arms were published on 24 June 1940 in the Diário do Governo, the official gazette of the time. The concelho, on the other hand, has existed since 1257.

How it has changed

No earlier versions of the flag or the coat of arms are known: that of 1940 is the first.

What it means

I have not found the official explanation. This is what can be seen:

• Yellow and blue in quarters

  the ground of the towns.

• Three ears of maize tied with a red band

  the main element of the coat of arms.

• Two crossed sickles

  the tool of the field.

• Wavy blue band

  at the bottom, the only reference to the Coura river.

• Mural crown of four towers

  the band says “VILA DE PAREDES DE COURA”.

Fun facts

1. A name the coat of arms does not depict

   “Paredes de Coura” means “walls of the Coura”, after the cliffs on the banks of the river. The coat of arms does not show them: only the river appears, in the wavy band.

2. A ground like that of Vizela

   It has the same colours as Vizela, yellow and blue, but in quarters and not in eight triangles.

Localisation