Regional and city flags are used to represent smaller pieces of land, filling the flag with content that is only related to that specific region or village.

Take a look at these 3 examples, Berlin, Amsterdam and New York.

Berlin Flag

Berlin shows a bear, which occurs on seals, coins and signet rings from as early as the late 12th century, presumably due to a canting association with the city’s name.

New York City Flag

The flag is inspired by the old owners of the New Amsterdam. It’s a trace from the Dutch, the tricolor design that last from 1625.

The coat of arms figures the following elements:

• Bald eagle: The symbol of the United States of America
• Native American: The original inhabitants of the area
• Seaman: Symbolizes the colonizers of the area
• Beaver: Symbolizes the Dutch West India Company, which was the first company in New York (originally known as Nieuw Amsterdam). Also the official animal of New York State.
• Windmill: Remembers the Dutch history of the city and the prosperous industry of milling flour.
• Flour barrels: In the 17th century, New York had been granted a short-lived monopoly on milling, which established the fledgling colony as a commercial powerhouse
• 1625: Originally the flag featured 1664, the year was later changed to honor the establishment of New Amsterdam, which was actually settled in 1624. The 1625 date has been described as “arbitrary” by the public historian at the New-York Historical Society and “simply wrong” by Michael Miscione, the Manhattan borough historian.

Amsterdam Flag

The colours of the flag are derived primarily from the shield of Amsterdam’s coat of arms. According to the city government, its origin could go back to the coat of arms of the Persijn family, which once owned a large tract of land in the capital.

The popular legend that the three Saint Andrew’s crosses were meant to ward off fire, floods and the black plague is unfounded as the use of three St. Andrews crosses by noble families in the area precedes the arrival of the Black Death in Europe.