The national symbols of Macedonia define the rich history and culture of the country as a whole. The Macedonian national symbols tell one of the countries heritage and their deep traditional roots. The national symbols of Macedonia are in the form of the countries national flag, the coat of arms, the national anthem and some patriotic symbols like the national plant and animal.
The following are the national symbols Macedonia:
The National Flag of Macedonia:
The current national flag was adopted on 5th October, 1995 after lots of changes over the years. The golden yellow eight-ray sun on a red surface makes up the national flag and thus one of the national symbols of Macedonia. The color red and golden yellow are the characteristic colors of the Macedonian state.
The Coat of Arms of Macedonia:
This patriotic symbol of Macedonia, as mentioned in the national anthem, represents the sun of freedom rising above Macedonia. At the head of the Macedonian national symbol is present the Shar mountain, and the waters of Ohrid lake. Bounded with the ears of wheat, the tobacco leaves and the poppy plant and double bent wit a ribbon tied at the top it's embroidered in a traditional Macedonian costume. The coat of arms as a Macedonian national symbol represents the richness of the country, the peoples struggle and their freedom.
The National Anthem of Macedonia:
"Denes Nad Makedonija" or the "Today Over Macedonia" in English is the Macedonian national anthem and also one of the important Macedonian symbols. This patriotic symbol of Macedonia was composed and created by Vlado Maleski, a poet from Struga in 1943. The anthem was finally adopted after Macedonia got its independent in 1991. Previously it was taken up as an anthem of the former Yugoslav republic of Macedonia when it was established after World war II.
The National Flower:
The flower Poppy is the national symbol of Macedonia. Poppies have for a long time been used as the symbol of both sleep and death. Besides the Poppy is red in color which also symbolizes the characteristics of the Macedonian state. The opium extracted from the poppy helps one sleep and the red color is referred to as death, more so because of the blood red color. The flower may also be white, pink, yellow, orange and blue with a dark centre. One of the important Macedonian national symbols, the poppy is also found in the Coat of Arms of Macedonia, another national symbol of Macedonia.
National Patriotic Symbol:
The Vergina Sun or the 16-rayed sun or the Star of Vergina is a well-known Macedonian symbol. This stylized star with sixteen rays was first unearthed in 1977 during the archaeological excavations in Vergina, in northern Greece. This sixteen or also the eight-pointed sun often appeared in Macedonian and Hellenistic coins and shields of the earlier times.
The National Animal:
The Lion from the 'Panthera leo' family is one of the national symbols of Macedonia. It's the second largest feline species, after the tiger. Frequently referred to as the 'King of the Jungle', the lion has been chosen by the Macedonian people as their national animal.