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Cuenca Canton (Azuay, Ecuador)

Cantón Santa Ana de Cuenca

Last modified: 2009-07-26 by dov gutterman
Keywords: azuay | cuenca |
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image by Jaume Olle



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The Flag

At <www.municipalidadcuenca.gov.ec>, There is the Cuenca flag and arms. I suspect that the city flag, which is the same as  the provincial flag, is also the cantonal flag.
Jaume Olle', 17 August 2003

The town of Cuenca, capital of the canton of the same name, was founded on 12 April 1557. it was registered on the UNESCO List of World Heritage in 1999.
Translated from <www.elmercurio.com.ec>.
"The flag of Cuenca is made of two horizontal stripes of 3 x 2 m. The upper stripe is bright red and the lower stripe is reseda (golden yellow). The two stripes are of equal right.
The red and yellow colours come from the Spanish flag, since Cuenca has proclaimed itself the forever heir of the virtues of Spain, Pelayo and the Catholic Kings. The town was granted the title of "Very Noble and Very Loyal". The writing on it shield says "Primero Dios y después voz".
A town flag was allowed to be hoisted on houses in relevant circumstances, either in peace or wartime. The municipal government required from the Vice-Roy, Marquis of Cañete [1535-1609; Vicerey of Peru, 1590-1596], the permission to manufacture its own flag and to fly it publicly in the streets of the town. The first petitioner was Rodrigo Paz, an inhabitant of Quito, heading to Cuenca as a special envoy of the government. The flag provision was received on 10 June 1558 in presence of the founder, Captain Gil Ramirez Dávalos.
Subsequently, the Procurator of the town, Lorenzo Fernández Lucero, gave permission to the government to manufacture its own flag, as granted on 13 February 1576, allowing the purchase of the required fabric. On 9 May 1590, Procurator Lázaro Vallejo required again the manufacturing of the flag - the earlier prescription does not seem to have been applied. The flag was prescribed as made of crimson fabric with the town's emblems on one side, and a picture of apostle Santiago, the patron saint of Spain, on the other side, the flag being bore through the streets on the eve of the Apostle's Day. The first flag bearer was Mayor Cristóbal Barzallo Quiroga."
Ivan Sache, 4 October 2008


Coat of Arms


image from <www.municipalidadcuenca.gov.ec>