São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo State (Brazil)

Last modified: 2008-08-02 by ian macdonald
Keywords: sao paulo | sao jose do rio preto |
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image by António Martins

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About the Flag of São José do Rio Preto

This place name means "Saint Joseph of the Black River." More details at http://www.sjriopreto.org.br/comdephact/bandeira.html .
António Martins, 3 December 2000

From the website:

Our municipality created its flag by law in 1936. Its colors are the same as those of the flag of the State of São Paulo: red, black, and white. The flag of the municipality is formed by a red rectangle divided per cross by white and black stripes, upon which, in the center, is a white lozenge and within it the coat of arms of the city.

Significance:

• the color red signifies love of country, dedication, audacity, intrepidity, courage, and valor;
• the eagle symbolizes power, victory, dominion, prosperity, benignity, generosity;
• the eagle carries in its talons flowering branches of lily, which symbolize the patron saint of the city, which is St. Joseph;
• the eight towers, of which five are visible in the perspective of the design, indicate that the city is the seat of a county (comarca>;
• agricultural production is represented by stalks of cane, shoots of coffee, branches of cotton, maize, and rice, all in natural colors recalling the agricultural riches of the municipality, whose economic importance is responsible for the heady progress of the city;
• the silver shield is the symbol of peace, amity, work, prosperity, purity, and religiousness;
• the wavy black stripe represents the Rio Preto [Black River] that gives its name to the city.

The flag, hymn, and coat of arms of São José do Rio Preto were defined by municipal law no. 1,569 of 19 July 1971.