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Alter do Chão Municipality (Portugal)

Last modified: 2006-02-05 by antonio martins
Keywords: alter do chão | coat of arms: per fess | fleurs-de-lis: 2 | fleur-de-lis (golden) | fountain | castle (red) | quinas: 2 |
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Alter do Chão municipality
image by Jorge Candeias
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About the flag

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


Version without the coat of arms

Alter do Chão plain flag
image by Jorge Candeias, 20 Jun 1998

Presentation of Alter do Chão

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