Flag of Friuli
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The flag of Friuli is a historical flag of the Italian region of Friuli, which is no longer officially recognized by the Italian government. It shows a yellow eagle looking to its right, with wings spread, against a blue background.
History and meaning
The flag's origin goes back to the Patrie dal Friûl, the historical Friulian state that was independent from 1077 to 1420 under the control of the Patriarch of Aquileia. The official flag of the Patrie dal Friûl was identical to the current flag, apart from the colours: the eagle was golden and the background was light blue. This flag was used in all the normal contests, and was painted on buildings and walls. The symbol of the flag comes from the name of Aquileia, which, following a popular legend, comes from an eagle (Latin: aquila) who showed the first citizens the place where the city should be founded. Today, many scholars claim that the name of Aquileia is derived from a Celtic toponym (Akylis), and therefore has nothing to do with eagles.
The flag today
Today the Friulian flag can be seen in many places, especially on 3 April, a day which commemorates the old Friulian state. It is not officially recognized and is sometimes considered to be a nationalist or separatist symbol.
Other layouts
Occasionally, other layouts of the flag are used which retain the colours (blue and yellow), but omit the eagle.
There was also an alternative historical version, used by the Patriarch of Aquileia in wartime. The only difference was the background, which was red instead of blue.
The flag of the present day Italian region Friuli–Venezia Giulia is also based on the Flag of Friuli.
