Last modified: 2014-06-29 by klaus-michael schneider
Keywords: alter do chão | coat of arms: per fess | fleurs-de-lis: 2 | fleur-de-lis (golden) | fountain | castle (red) | quinas: 2 | seda | coat of arms: bridge | bridge (silver) | waves: 3 | wheat ears:2 |
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The flag is quarterly yellow over red with the coat of arms in the centre. The
coat of arms has a 4-towered mural crown, a typical
scroll that reads "VILA DE ALTER DO CHÃO" and the shield
is horizontally divided silver over black. The silver filed is charged with a red
castle with three towers and black door and windows, sided by two
“quinas”.
The black field is charged by a golden fountain (with blue flowing water), sided
by two golden fleurs-de-lis. Quite a nice coat of arms, in my humble opinion.
Jorge Candeias, 20 Jun 1998
Trying to guess the meaning of the coat of arms, I’d make the educated guess
that there are or where somewhere in the municipality some thermal facilities
(the fountain seems to reflect that), the castle, as usual, symbolizes some sort
of fortifications (I seem to recall that there is even today a castle there), and
the fleur-de-lis may have something to do with the french invasions. If somebody
has more info, please come forward.
Jorge Candeias, 20 Jun 1998
Alter do Chão belongs to the district of Portalegre,
old province of Alto Alentejo, future region of
Alentejo. The municipality has an area of 361,6 km²
and only about 4200 inhabitants in 4 communes. I don’t know much on it’s economy,
but I suppose it’s rural, as usual in this part of the country.
Jorge Candeias, 20 Jun 1998
It is a fairly typical portuguese communal flag,
with the coat of arms centered on a
white and green quartered background. The banner
should have silvery and green tassels and cord, and golden pole with spear
finial. Flag and arms adopted and published in the official journal
Diário da República : III
Série in 1996.05.10.
António Martins, 30 Aug 2008
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The arms are Gules a bridge Argent masoned Sable issuant from a base wavy Argent charged with a fesslet wavy Azure and in chief on an escutcheon Argent a cross fleury Vert and the escutcheon flanked by two ears of wheat Or. Mural crown argent with three visible towers (commune rank) and white scroll reading in black upper case letters "Seda". Original blazon:
Escudo de vermelho, ponte romana de um arco de prata, lavrada de negro, movente dos flancos e de um pé de água ondeado de prata e azul; em ponto de honra um escudete de prata carregado com a cruz da Ordem de Avis, entre duas espigas de trigo de ouro. Coroa mural de prata de quatro torres. Listel branco com a legenda a negro, em maiúsculas: "SEDA".António Martins, 30 Aug 2008
Plain (monocolored) portuguese subnational flags are
not allowed to have armless
variations: plain flags always carry the coat of arms.
Jorge Candeias, 18 Jul 1999
Seda Commune is one of the 4 communes of the Alter do
Chão Municipality; it had 389 inhabitants in 2001 and covers
112,23 km². "Seda" means silk in Portuguese, but this is not
reflected on the arms. Instead the eascutcheon refers to the local historical
importance of the the Avis Order and to local
landmarks and produce.
António Martins, 30 Aug 2008
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