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La Rinconada (Municipality, Andalusia, Spain)

Flag of La Rinconada - Image from the Símbolos de Sevilla website, 4 June 2014

Presentation of La Rinconada
Symbols of La Rinconada

See also:

Presentation of La Rinconada

The municipality of La Rinconada (37,755 inhabitants in 2013; 13,948 ha; municipal website) is located 10 km north of Seville. The municipality is made of the town of La Rinconada, of the borough of San José de la Rinconada, and of the rural settlements of El Gordillo, La Jarilla, Tarazona, Tarazonilla, Los Abetos, El Castellón, Los Labrados, Casavacas and El Toril.

La Rinconada was originally established on the Cerro Macareno, the only height in the neighborhood. Excavations have demonstrated that the place was continuously inhabited from the 8th century BC to the 1st century. Remains of Greek pottery and Roman amphorae used to transport grain, wine and olive oil indicate the significance of the river port that was established at the foot of the hill, then closer to the Guadalquivir than today.
In 1247, according to the tradition, King Ferdinand III the Saint and his wife, Joanna of Ponthieu, climbed the Cerro Macareno to watch Seville and prepare the conquest of the town. Anticipating a long and difficult siege, the monarchs established a field hospital (hospital de sangre, lit., "blood hospital") to heal the soldiers injured during the fighting. Established in the arrinconada (innermost recess) of the river, the hospital was the first settlement nucleus of La Rinconada. The knights of the Order of Malta were probably commisionned to manage the hospital. After the conquest of Seville, the Order of Malta was rewarded with several estates in the area, as were those who had contributed to the victory. Those new lords, extremely loyal to the king, formed a defence line against potential Moorish counter-attack.
While the hospital was transformed into a chapel, La Rinconada, which had grown up out of the original four streets that lined the hospital, was incorporated into the alfoz (group of villages) of Seville, being granted the title of "Guard and Food Supply" of Seville.

Ivan Sache, 4 June 2014

Symbols of La Rinconada

The flag of La Rinconada (photo, photo, photo, photo), adopted on 10 October 1988 by the Municipal Council and approved on 30 June 1988 by the Royal Academy of History, is prescribed by Decree No. 229, adopted on 24 October 1989 by the Government of Andalusia and published on 24 November 1989 in the official gazette of Andalusia, No. 94, p. 5,320 (text). This was confirmed by a Decree adopted on 30 November 2004 by the Directorate General of the Local Administration and published on 20 December 2004 in the official gazette of Andalusia, No. 246, pp. 28,986-29,002 (text).
The flag is described as follows:

Flag: One third, white, and two thirds, celestial blue, vertically separated, with the municipal coat of arms on the separation line.

The flag hoisted on the balcony of the Town Hall (photo) appears to have the coat of arms rotated to the hoist.

The coat of arms of La Rinconada, adopted on 20 May 1996 by the Municipal Council and validated on 5 February 1988 by the Royal Academy of C&ioacute;rdoba after a previous rejection on 20 February 1997 for the lack of sources, is prescribed by Decree No. 77, adopted on 31 March 1998 by the Government of Andalusia and published on 2 May 1998 in the official gazette of Andalusia, No. 94, p. 5,320 (text). This was confirmed by a Decree adopted on 30 November 2004 by the Directorate General of the Local Administration and published on 20 December 2004 in the official gazette of Andalusia, No. 246, pp. 28,986-29,002 (text).
The coat of arms is described as follows:

Coat of arms: Per fess, 1. Red a Cross of the Military Order of St. John or [indeed, argent], 2. Azure a fleur-de-lis or. The shield surmounted by a Royal crown closed.

The Maltese Cross recalls the military hospital established by Ferdinand III the Saint, which is the origin of the town. The fleur-delis is the symbol of the Bourbon dynasty.
[Municipal website]

Ivan Sache & Klaus-Michael Schneider, 4 June 2014