Last modified: 2014-08-09 by klaus-michael schneider
Keywords: calheta(madeira) | dove | holy spirit | rays | base(nebuly) | mural crown(golden) |
Links: FOTW homepage |
search |
disclaimer and copyright |
write us |
mirrors
![[Calheta municipality (4 towers silver)]](../images/p/pt-clt.gif) 2:3 image by Sérgio Horta, 16 Mar 2007 |
![[Calheta municipality (4 towers silver sewn upon sheet)]](../images/p/pt-clt4s.gif) 2:3 image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 10 Mar 2012 |
![[Calheta municipality (4 towers golden)]](../images/p/pt-clt4g.gif) 2:3 image by António Martins-Tuválkin and Sérgio Horta, 22 Oct 2007 |
It is a slightly atypical Portuguese municipal flag, with the coat of arms centred on a plain white background.
António Martins-Tuválkin, 16 Mar 2007
![[Calheta (Madeira) municipality CoA]](../images/p/pt-clt).gif)
image by Sérgio Horta, 22 Oct 2007
The arms are Gules between a counterchief nebuly Or and a chief flamy of the Same a dove displayed Or. In the currently used version, mural crown argent with four visible towers (town rank) and white scroll reading in black upper case letters "CALHETA - MADEIRA". (left image above)
While the relevant law does not prescribe it, it is common practice of the heraldic authority (CHAAP) to use for the background of the flag one or two of the colours used in the arms, but not the one used in the shield field. This has been used to force coats of arms to have at least three colours, which precludes many of the best heraldic designs. Thus, if a red and yellow-only shield is an oddity, a white flag for it is even more odd. All this, and the existence of a tradition of atypical (and illegal) representations may account for the fact that these arms and flag are not yet made official, though they are certainly in use for several decades.
In 2012 realized by a grey piece of cloth sewn on the sheet with a crown having the same colour as spotted in front of the townhall on 13 February 2012 (central image above).
António Martins-Tuválkin, 16 Mar 2007 and Klaus-Michael Schneider, 10 Mar 2012
Previous images shown even more unusual details: A golden mural crown with four visible towers (right image above), instead of silvery, shows in many extant representations: Not anymore at the municipal website. According to the relevant law, only Lisbon should have a golden crown. These representations include also the writing "Venite spiritus sancte" (1st word some times "veni") on the shield.
António Martins-Tuválkin, 16 Mar 2007 / 22 Oct 2007
Meaning:
The dove is obviously representing the Holy Spirit, see inscription above meaning: "Come, oh Holy Spirit".
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 10 Mar 2012
![[Calheta municipality (3 towers golden)]](../images/p/pt-clt3.gif)
2:3 image by Sérgio Horta, 16 Mar 2007
Even earlier representations show the writing, yet an atypical crown, still golden but with a much higher base rim and only three towers (also against the law, which calls for four visible towers for municipalities seated in a town, which is the case of Calheta da Madeira), and no scroll.
António Martins-Tuválkin, 16 Mar 2007 / 22 Oct 2007
Plain (monocoloured) portuguese subnational flags are not allowed to have variations without arms: plain flags always carry the coat of arms.
Jorge Candeias, 18 Jul 1999
Calheta da Madeira municipality had 11 946 inhabitants in 2001 and consists of 8 communes covering 115,65 km². It is part of Madeira Autonomous Region (also traditional province, NUTS I, NUTS II and NUTS III), and old Funchal District.
António Martins-Tuválkin, 22 Oct 2007
back to Municipalities of Portugal click here
