When I asked around my house this morning for flag preferences, my younger kid asked for,”THe one with the bird and the key on it.” So today, the flag of the Republic and Canton of Geneva in Switzerland flies along with the flag of the Swiss Confederation.
Like the flag of the Swiss Confederation, Geneva’s flag is square. According to Flags of the World, “The eagle symbolises loftiness, justice and protection. The key symbolises ecclesiastical rule, treasuries, and responsibility. The arms of Geneva are actually two shields impaled: half the eagle of the Holy Roman Empire, and one of the two keys of St. Peter (the “keys of heaven”).”
The flag of the Swiss Confederation is one of two square national flags in the world, the other being Vatican City. Section 1, Article 3 of the Federal Act on the Protection of the Swiss Coat of Arms and Other Public Signs defines the flag as, “The Swiss flag shows a Swiss cross on a square background.” Annex 2 of the law spells out the colors and proportions of the flag. The design was first adopted in 1840.
Cruesbreck Flags 