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🇦🇹 The colours of Austria

2 meanings recorded, 7 colours tied to the country.

Austria’s flag features three horizontal bands: red, white, and red. These colours, among the oldest in continuous use, are linked to the Babenberg dynasty and have come to represent the country itself, rather than a ruling family. The red is officially specified as Pantone 186 C.

redLinked to the Babenberg dynasty; represents Austria as a country
whitePart of the historic arms; associated with Austria's identity
redLinked to the Babenberg dynasty; represents Austria as a country

Where no official value is given, the swatch shows the colour family, not the exact shade.

  • Austria’s flag is one of the oldest still in use.
  • The red is officially Pantone 186 C since 2018.
  • The colours come from the Babenberg dynasty’s arms.
  • A legend links the colours to Duke Leopold V’s bloodied tunic.
  • The flag’s colours represent Austria, not a royal family.

The colours of the flag of Austria

Austria’s flag is made up of three horizontal stripes: red at the top and bottom, with white in the middle. The colours come from the Babenberg dynasty’s coat of arms and have been used since at least 1230. Unlike many European flags, these colours are not tied to a royal family but instead symbolise the country itself. The red and white design is officially recognised, and the red shade is now set as Pantone 186 C. The meaning is rooted in history rather than a modern official statement.

How the colours were chosen of Austria

The red-white-red colours trace back to the Babenberg dynasty, first appearing on a shield in 1105. They became the official arms of Austria in the 13th century, with a documented use in 1230. After the Babenbergs, the colours were adopted by later rulers, including the Habsburgs. A legend says Duke Leopold V chose the colours after a battle, when his blood-soaked tunic left a white band beneath his belt. Over time, these colours became a symbol of Austria, even as the Habsburgs used black and yellow for the empire.

Official shades and rules of Austria

Austrian law does not set precise colour shades for the flag, but a 2018 regulation defines the red as Pantone 186 C. Earlier, Pantone 032 C was used. The flag is a simple horizontal triband, and this pattern is strictly followed in official use.

Where this page comes from

The facts in this overview come from the Wikipedia article "Flag of Austria", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence. Rang rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.

What colours mean in Austria

Customs vary by region, faith and family; these are the meanings most often recorded.

Compare with another country
Red

The flag is red, white and red. Legend says Duke Leopold V's white tunic was soaked in blood at the siege of Acre, all but the band under his belt.

Politics and protestCourageSource: Flag of Austria
Black

Black and yellow were the colours of the Habsburg monarchy. They come from the black double-headed eagle on a gold ground used by the Holy Roman Emperors.

Royalty and powerSource: Flag of the Habsburg monarchy

Colour cities of Austria

Alps 1

Colours tied to Austria

FamilyRedOrangeYellowGreenTurquoiseBluePurplePinkBrownWhiteGreyBlackGold
KindBasic colourNamed shadePigmentDyeColour named from natureTraditional colourNational or team colourHeraldic colourStandard colourScreen colour
Made fromMineral or earthPlantAnimalSyntheticLight only (no pigment)
#FF00FF Magenta A purplish-pink colour named after a battle and key to modern printingNamed shade · 🇫🇷 France +4 #FF91AF Baker-Miller Pink A strong pink once used in prisons and sports to try to calm aggressionNamed shade · 🇨🇭 Switzerland +1 Red Blood rain Rain that appears red, often caused by dust or microalgae in the waterColour named from nature · 🇮🇹 Italy +5 #4D5D53 Feldgrau A green-grey shade long used for military uniforms in Germany and beyondNamed shade · 🇩🇪 Germany +5 #A52A2A Auburn hair A natural hair colour blending red and brown tonesNamed shade · 🇳🇴 Norway +4 Red Cudbear A red dye once made from a lichen found on rocks in upland EuropeDye · 🇳🇴 Norway +3 #91A3B0 Cadet grey A blue-tinged grey once common in military uniformsNamed shade · 🇺🇸 United States +3

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

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