Spanish fess

The banner of Spain, with a central stripe larger than the outer stripes.

In heraldry and vexillology, a Spanish fess is a term occasionally used to describe the central horizontal stripe of a tricolour or triband flag that is twice the width of the stripes on either side of it.

The name is based on the most well-known example of this style of flag, the flag of Spain, and in analogy to the equivalent term for vertically striped flags, the Canadian pale. Flags of the World's Dictionary of Vexillology does not include the term but uses instead 'Spanish-style triband' and 'Unequal triband', the latter term not distinguishing between vertical and horizontal partitions of the field.

Looser definition

As with the Canadian pale, a looser definition of Spanish fess also exists, in which the central stripe is considerably larger than, but not necessarily twice the width of the two outer stripes.[citation needed]

1:2:1 proportions

National

Subnational

Municipal

Other proportions

National

Subnational

Municipal

Other

See also

References

  1. ↑ Fresson, Robert G. (2020). Flying Colours: A guide to flags from around the world. Cicada Books. p. 28. ISBN 978-1-80066-009-0.
  2. ↑ Flag This!. "Country Flags That Use A Spanish Fess And Why They Use It". YouTube. Retrieved 20 September 2026.
  3. ↑ Dubilet, Dmytro (2023). "Spanish+fess"+&pg=PT121 How the Tricolor Got Its Stripes: And Other Stories About Flags. UK: Serpent's Tail. p. 121. ISBN 978-1-80522-000-8.
  4. ↑ "Spanish-style triband (or Spanish triband)". FOTW - Flags of the World. CRW Flags. Retrieved 4 October 2026.
  5. ↑ "Unequal triband (or uneven triband)". FOTW - Flags of the World. CRW Flags. Retrieved 4 October 2026.