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City of Puerto de la Cruz (Tenerife Island, Santa Cruz de Tenerife Province, Canary Islands, Spain)

Excelentísimo Ayuntamiento del Puerto de la Cruz

by José Manuel Erbez and Santiago Dotor

Description

See also:

Tenerife Island (Canary Islands, Spain)
Canary Islands (Spain)
Spain

Other sites:

Flags of Tenerife by José Manuel Erbez

Description

Puerto de la Cruz, the largest tourist resort in northern Tenerife, appears to have a white flag with the coat-of-arms in the centre, though I only managed to see a long, vertical version of the flag. The black charge standing on the barry wavy base of the coat-of-arms is a key.

Santiago Dotor, 3 May 2000

Coat of Arms

image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 14 Apr 2007

The shield is divided per fess. The chief shows a green dragon with red tongue in a golden (yellow) field topped by a red Latin cross (not that one of Santiago). The base shows three silver (white) fessy wavy lines in a blue field superimposed by a black key with the beard pointing to the right side. The shield is topped by a coronet.

The current coat of arms is used since 27 May 1964, allowed by the council of ministers (of Spain? Of the islands?). The coat of arms is said to have been designed by Bruno B. Heim, born in Switzerland in 1911. Heim was a priest, titular archbishop of Xanthus and has written various books about heraldry.

The coat of arms is reflecting historical issues which are very important to characterize the municipality. According to Leopoldo de la Rosa Olivera the dragon represents the guardian of the gardens of the Hesperides in which was growing the tree with golden apples. (see also the coat of arms of La Orotava). The cross refers not only to the cities name but also to the Christian tradition. The waves turn out the cities relation to the maritime roots of the city, bringing trade, development and expansion. The key opens the way across the sea to India, especially in the past. The coronet symbolizes the incorporation into the Kingdom of Castille and Leon.

(my rough translation from source in Spanish: "Entender un simbolo" edited by the Excmo. Ay. D. Puerta d.l.C ("Recognizing a Symbol") (colours according to own photo shot on 21 January 2007 in Puerto d. l. C.)

Sources and Credits

Klaus-Michael Schneider, 15 Apr 2007

Quite his style. His heraldic animals look fantastical; in this, Heim followed the medieval mind.

Jan Mertens, 15 Apr 2007