COAT OF ARMS OF BARRANQUILLA: HISTORY AND MEANING - HISTORY - 2025

The Barranquilla coat of arms has been a symbol of the city since April 7, 1813, when the president governor of the Free State of Cartagena de Indias described this emblem in the "Decree of title of Villa de Barranquilla."

Through this decree, the president awarded the Barranquilla residents for their outstanding participation in the war for the Independence of the state.

In the shield a river and a bank are observed. Two cannons rest on the shore. In the foreground you can see the flag of the department of Cartagenas.

Next to the flagpole on which the flag is raised, stands a soldier standing at attention.

Beyond the river there is a green field, a group of clouds and a blue sky. In the upper part of the shield there is an inscription that reads "Prize of patriotism".

This symbol is used in official documents issued by the Barranquilla mayor's office. It can also be found painted on municipal buildings and on recognition plaques.

You may also be interested in the history of the Barranquilla flag.

History

In the first decades of the 19th century, the city of Barranquilla had already declared its independence from the Spanish Crown.

This proclamation had led to a series of armed conflicts between the royalists and the patriots. Finally, in the year 1813 the patriots prevailed, thus managing to separate from Spanish rule.

Due to the outstanding performance of the Barranquilla soldiers, on April 7, 1813, the president of the Sovereign State of Cartagena de Indias, Manuel Rodríguez Torices, gave the population of Barranquilla the quality of a town, which at that time was the equivalent of a city..

In the decree issued by the president of Cartagenas de Indias the coat of arms of the city is described in the following terms:

“… Pointing to arms and an emblem of his new dignity, a shield in which you can see a running river where ships of internal traffic navigate under the protection of a battery with its flagpole on which the National Pavilion will be raised, established at its margins and edged with the motto “Premio del Patriotismo”; which they can put on their banners, banners, flags, coats of arms, stamps and in the other parts and places that they want to have, and in the form and disposition used and practiced by the cities and towns of the State… ”.

One hundred years later Rodríguez Torices' description was captured in oil by the artist Pedro Malabet. Shortly after the shield was adopted as the official emblem of the city.

Use

Along with the flag and the anthem, the Barranquilla coat of arms represents the city. Since it became an official symbol, rules have been created to regulate its use.

The regulations that regulate the use of the blazon establish that it can be used in the following cases:

- Printed in official documents of the Barranquilla mayor's office.

- Painted on the facades of municipal buildings.

- Painted on vehicles that belong to the Barranquilla mayor's office.

- In plaques and other decorations, if so established by the mayor of the city.

- In brochures and other publications issued by the city hall.

The regulations also state that this coat of arms cannot be used as part of another symbol.

Nor can it be used as the logo of private organizations, political parties and other associations that do not belong to the city hall.

The Barranquilla coat of arms is an official symbol and, therefore, must be respected as such. The competent authorities are entitled to reprimand those who commit disrespectful acts linked to the city's coat of arms.

Meaning

The shield is made up of a series of elements: a river, a group of ships, a couple of cannons, a soldier, the flag of the department of Cartagena and an inscription that says "Patriotism Award".

Each of these elements has been assigned a special meaning.

1- Barranquilla Patriot

In the foreground is a soldier standing at attention. This soldier represents the patriots who fought to defend Barranquilla and Cartagena de Indias from the royalist forces.

These forces sought to suppress the revolts in the colonies. However, the patriots prevailed and expelled the Spanish.

2- Flag raised

Next to the soldier is a flag raised on a pole. This is the flag of the Free State of Cartagena de Indias.

This flag commands respect, which is evidenced by the position of the patriot who is next to it.

3- Pair of cannons

In the second plane of the shield a pair of cannons is observed. These weapons are facing the river, so it can be assumed that they protect the bank from any enemy ships that want to try to make landfall.

4- River

Although it is in the third plane, the river is one of the elements that stand out the most in the shield.

This watercourse represents the Magdalena, one of the most important rivers in the city of Barranquilla.

This river is a very important transit route and also has economic relevance for the city.

5- Internal traffic vessels

Internal traffic ships sail on the river. These vessels reflect the importance of the river in the city of Barranquilla, since it serves as a basis for the development of shipping activities.

6- "Patriotism Award"

This phrase refers to the soldiers who faced the army of the royalists. The patriots not only fought bravely, they managed to defeat the Spanish.

For this reason, Manuel Rodríguez Torices decided to grant this coat of arms to the city of Barranquilla in memory of the performance of the Barranquilla soldiers.

References

1. Retrieved on November 15, 2017, from wikipedia.org
2. Retrieved on November 15, 2017, from wikitravel.org
3. Barranquilla (Atlantico, Colombia). Retrieved on November 15, 2017, from crwflags.com
4. Barranquilla, Colombia. Retrieved on November 15, 2017, from britannica.com
5. Barranquilla - Colombia Information. Retrieved on November 15, 2017, from colombia-information.com
6. Barranquilla - History. Retrieved on November 15, 2017, from triposo.com
7. Cartagena State. Retrieved on November 15, 2017, from crwflags.com