National symbols of Spain

Stretching south from the Pyrenees Mountains to the Strait of Gibraltar, Spain occupies most of the Iberian Peninsula. Also ruling two cities in North Africa and the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean, Spain consists of stone castles, snow-capped mountains, vast monuments, and sophisticated cities. The country has a vast diversity in ethnicity with Catalans, Andalusians, Valencians, Balearics, Canarians, Basques & Galicians. Most of the ethnic groups in Spain have autonomous rights. The capital and the largest city are Madrid, while Catalan capital Barcelona is the most visited city. Castilian Spanish is the official national language, as other Spanish dialects are official in autonomous states. The national motto is “Plus Ultra – Further Beyond” The majority of the population is Roman Catholic. As a member of the European Union, Spain uses the “Euro” as their national money. The country code is “+34”, as the national domain is “.es.”

The founder of Spain is Ferdinand II of Aragon, the first king of de facto Spain after the Iberian Wedding that united the kingdoms of Castille and Aragon. The national hero is Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar or commonly known as El Cid, who was a Castillan knight and warlord, conquering the Iberian Peninsula back from the Muslims. The national day of Spain is 12 October, the date Christopher Columbus first set foot in the Americas in 1492. Spain’s flag consists of two red stripes and a yellow stripe in between. The Spanish emblem, which is also on the flag, depicts Hercules’ crown-topped pillars with red banners displaying the national motto. Red and gold are the national colors of Spain.

Spain has many national symbols: The national monument is the “Alhambra Palace” in Granada that has been built by Andalusia. The national mausoleum is “Mausoleum de Pozo Moro,” which is the oldest known Iberian grave monument.
One of Spain’s national symbols is “the bull,” a symbol of virtues. Spain has a national bird, the “Iberian Imperial Eagle,” an endemic species of the Iberian Peninsula under threat of extinction. The national dish is “Paella,” a rice dish from the Valencia region, while the national drink is “Sherry,” a regional fortified wine. “The Carnation” is the national flower and a national symbol, symbolizing the passion of Christ. The national tree is the “Evergreen Oak.”

Another national symbol of Spain is the national dance and music “Flamenco,” which is commonly associated with Andalusian gypsies. “Traje de Flamenca” is the dress that flamenco dancers wear consisting of a notched garment extended to the ankle. Spain’s national musical instrument is the “castanets,” a percussion for hand commonly used in flamenco rhythms. Miguel De Cervantes, Lope De Vega, Federico García Lorca are leading national poets who had huge roles in the Spanish history of literature. Spain also has the national flagship airline “Iberia.” Like most Latin countries, the national sport and the most-watched sport in the country is football.