🇨🇭 The colours of Switzerland

Switzerland’s flag features a white cross on a red background. The white cross stands for both Christian heritage and the Old Swiss Confederacy’s field sign. The red field and white cross together have represented Swiss unity and identity since the 14th century.

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

• The Swiss flag is one of the few national flags that is square.
• The white cross arms are longer than they are wide, with a 7:6 ratio.
• The red shade was officially set as pure red (#FF0000) in 2017.
• The flag’s design dates back to field signs from the 14th century.
• The Red Cross emblem reverses the colours of the Swiss flag.

The colours of the flag of Switzerland

The Swiss flag is square and displays a bold white cross centred on a red field. The cross, known as the Swiss or federal cross, has arms that are slightly longer than they are wide, with specific proportions set by law. Officially, the white cross represents both the Christian cross and the field sign used by the Old Swiss Confederacy. The red background has been part of Swiss military and civic symbols for centuries. The meaning of the colours is rooted in history, with the white cross as a sign of unity and Christian tradition.

How the colours were chosen of Switzerland

The white cross first appeared as a field sign for Swiss troops in the 14th century, sewn onto clothing for identification. Over time, it was added to cantonal flags, especially those with red backgrounds like Schwyz. The cross became a symbol of the Confederacy by the late Middle Ages. After a period of replacement by a tricolour during the Helvetic Republic, the red flag with a white cross returned in the early 19th century. The modern design was set in the 19th century, with proportions and the square shape becoming standard.

Official shades and rules of Switzerland

Since 2017, Swiss law defines the flag’s red as pure red (#FF0000) and fixes the proportions of the cross and its position. The cross arms are one-sixth longer than wide, and the cross occupies five-eighths of the flag’s height. The flag is square, but rectangular versions are used for ships and aircraft. Earlier, proportions varied, but the current law standardises them.