🇷🇸 The colours of Serbia

Serbia’s national colours are red, blue and white, arranged in horizontal bands on the flag. These colours have been used since the 19th century and are seen as symbols of national identity. Red, blue and white also appear in official sashes, ribbons and document ties, marking important events and state authority.

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

• Serbia’s tricolour flag dates back to 1839.
• The colours are red, blue and white, in horizontal bands.
• A red-blue-white sash is worn by officials at civil marriages.
• Official documents are tied with a red, blue and white string called jemstvenik.
• Flag colours were standardised by law in 2010.

The colours of the flag of Serbia

The Serbian flag features three equal horizontal stripes: red at the top, blue in the middle, and white at the bottom. The state flag includes the lesser coat of arms, set off-centre towards the flagpole. These colours are officially recognised as national symbols, but the sources do not specify what each colour stands for. The tricolour arrangement is widely known as the 'trobojka' and is a key marker of Serbian identity. Both state and civil flags use these colours, with the state flag distinguished by the coat of arms.

National colours of Serbia

Red, blue and white are used beyond the flag in various official contexts. A sash in these colours is worn by municipal officials during civil marriage ceremonies. Memorial wreaths and ceremonial ribbons also use the tricolour. Official documents are tied with a string called 'jemstvenik', made from red, blue and white strands. These uses reinforce the colours’ role in marking state occasions and authority.

How the colours were chosen of Serbia

Serbia’s earliest known flag colours date to the 13th century, with red and blue mentioned in a medieval inventory. Later, royal banners featured a red double-headed eagle on yellow or white. The modern tricolour was established in 1839 after negotiations with the Ottoman and Russian empires, settling on red, blue and white horizontal bands. The arrangement was partly chosen to distinguish Serbia from Russia’s white-blue-red flag. Over time, symbols of Ottoman rule were removed, and the tricolour became a lasting national emblem. The flag’s design has changed with political shifts, but the three colours have remained central.

Official shades and rules of Serbia

The flag’s proportions are set at 2:3, with three equal horizontal bands. The state flag must display the lesser coat of arms, positioned towards the hoist. Official colour values were standardised in 2010. The law details how and when the flag is to be displayed, including rules for vertical hanging and its use during official events. The flag must not touch the ground or be used as decoration for objects or vehicles.