The Story Behind The Mexican Flag

The Mexican flag is the country’s most important patriotic symbol, and it has a background story that is as fascinating and revealing as any national flag. In fact, the story of the Mexican flag dates back further than most, with origins in the Aztec culture that flourished in Mexico from the 1300s. The current crest and colors of the Mexican nation have undergone several changes over time. Here’s our guide to the story behind the modern Mexican flag.

Thinking of a trip to Mexico? Book our nine-day premium trip to the Yucátan Peninsula to explore cenotes and jungles, or check out our five-day Mini Trip to Baja California Sur for bohemian beach towns and desert oases.

The Eagle in the Mexican Flag

The coat of arms on the Mexican flag depicts an eagle perched on a prickly pear cactus devouring a rattlesnake. The image relates to the story of the founding of Tenochtitlan, the Aztec capital. According to legend, the wandering Aztecs would know where to build their new city when they saw an eagle perched on a cactus. The image did appear to them, but in an unlikely place – on a tiny island in the middle of Lake Texcoco. To build their city, the Aztecs formed a number of small garden islands connected by causeways.

Today, the coat of arms is in the center of the flag, with a laurel branch symbolizing victory and honor underneath. The image was added to the flag for the Olympic Games held in Mexico City in 1968. Before this date, the flag was sometimes presented without the emblem. However, it looked too similar to the Italian flag, which uses the same colors.

The Three-Colored Design

The flag of Mexico has three vertical stripes in green, white, and red. The design dates back to 1821, when Mexico finally gained its independence from Spain. When these colors were first adopted, the color green was chosen to represent independence from Spain. The red stood for union between the native peoples of Mexico and the elites of European heritage, a union that was key to the independence movement. The color white was adopted to represent the purity of Roman Catholicism.

Today, no official explanation is given for the colors of the flag, partly because the original meanings have little relevance to modern Mexican society. Yet a popular explanation has been taken up by many Mexicans. The green is said to represent hope for the nation, the white represents unity, and the red symbolizes the blood of those who died fighting for the nation’s independence.

Flag Day in Mexico

The flag is so central to Mexican identity and culture that it has its own national day, celebrated on February 24 each year. A flag-raising ceremony with the Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto ended with embarrassment this year, when the giant flag was ripped by a falling metal structure.

However, another ceremony, this one during a military event in Durango, northern Mexico, was an even greater disaster. A sudden gust of wind lifted the flag into the air and a soldier was lifted nearly 100 feet (30 metres) into the sky. After spinning in the air for several seconds, he crashed to the ground. Amazingly, the soldier sustained only minor injuries.

A Symbol of Protest

The flag has also been adopted by protestors in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Two neighbors have erected Mexican flags alongside the golf course that US President Donald Trump owns in the area. Construction of the course was highly controversial, because it involved destroying legally protected coastal dunes. “It’s just to show solidarity with the Mexican people,” David Milne, one of the locals, told The Guardian last year. “And everyone else that Trump has derided, insulted and intimidated.”
Discover more Mexican culture when you join our five-day Mini Trip to Mexico’s heartland, or our five-day Mini Trip to Chiapas in Southern Mexico – you’ll experience authentic Mexico with the help of our Local Insider. Alternately, discover the best of the capital when you join our five-day small-group trip to Mexico City.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.