Flag of Sicily

The flag of Sicily existed since the Sicilian Vespers in 1282, when Sicily rebelled against the rule of Charles I of Anjou.

The background is divided diagonally into red and yellow. In the middle of a Triskele is presented with an ornate head.

In February 2000, the flag became the official flag Regional representing Sicily from all public buildings.

Symbolism

The color red symbolizes to this day the city of Palermo, the color yellow was for the city of Corleone, which was agricultural center of Sicily in the 13th century. These two towns founded as the first an alliance against Charles I and campaigned for the independence of Sicily.

The Triskele shows in the form of an equilateral triangle three running legs and is an ancient symbol for the sun or the life. It is, for example, depicted on the flag of the Isle of Man and in the arms of the town of Füssen.

Together with a head in the center was called the symbol of Trinacria, and the term became the former name of Sicily, the island with the three vertices. Pictures of Trinacria there since ancient times. One of the oldest is seen in Tindari as a mosaic floor, one of the most beautiful on a rock in the park of Villa Giulia in Palermo.

The head in the center put first the head of Medusa, a form with snake hair from Greek mythology dar. In later versions, was the head of Ceres, the Roman goddess of agriculture, pictured. The ears of wheat symbolize fertility, the wings were reminiscent of Hermes, messenger of the gods.

The Trinacria with the head in the center is still typical symbol for Sicily and can be seen everywhere on the island. You adorns not only the flag, but is manufactured as a piece of jewelry made ​​of gold or silver, as a wall decoration made ​​of clay or wood.