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# Solothurn canton (Switzerland)

##

Last modified: 2026-05-02 by martin karner
Keywords: switzerland | solothurn | german |
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image by António Martins

- Description of the Flag
- Symbolism of the Flag
- History of the Flag
  - Miscellaneous Pictures
- Colour Flag
- Flaggen, Knatterfahnen and Livery Colours
- Early 20th Century Flag Design
- Logo
- Cockade

- Communes of Solothurn canton
- Solothurn Shooting Sport Association (SOSV)

See also:

- Cantons of Switzerland
- Switzerland
- Wappen und Siegel des Standes Solothurn (by Swiss Federal Chancellery, 1948 [reprint 1978], German)
- Die Wappenreliefs am Bieltor in Solothurn und das Kantonswappen (by Walter Moser, 1988, German)

## Description of the Flag

Per fess gules and argent.
Divided horizontally into equal parts red over white.
T.F. Mills, 19 October 1997

## Symbolism of the flag

There are at least two theories on the origin of Solothurn's colours. One holds that they came from the vexillum of the ancient Roman Legion of Thebes which was massacred in Helvetia in 302. St. Ursus, the patron saint of Solothurn, was allegedly an officer of the legion. Less likely, Solothurn adopted the colours of Austria (as did Schwyz and Unterwalden).
T.F. Mills, 19 October 1997

The name "Solothurn" comes from Celtic "Solodurum". The ending "-durum" means gate.

## History of the Flag

According to legend, Ursus was an early Christian who proselytised the Solothurn region. He was persecuted and eventually decapitated on the Aare River bridge, and his body thrown into the river (see history of Swiss flag). But the body swam ashore, picked up its head, and walked to its burial place. Thus did Ursus become the patron saint of the city. The seal of the city has always depicted St. Ursus, and as early as 1394 the seal contained a red and white background identical to the current flag, so these are regarded as St. Ursus' colours. Solothurn became an independent state in the empire in 1447, and was admitted to the Swiss Confederation on the same day as Fribourg in 1481. This was done over the objections of Obwalden, whose flag at the time was identical.
T.F. Mills, 19 October 1997

### Miscellaneous Pictures

- Silver coin (ca. 1481), with Solothurn shield and patron saint Ursus (source).
- Julius Banner (1512). Location: Museum Altes Zeughaus, Solothurn (source). Picture with enlarged Zwickelbild, showing patron saint Ursus kneeling before Christ (source).
- Stained glass plate (ca. 1520), with CoA of districts and the imperial double eagle as a sign of imperial immediacy (source).
- Shooter flag (1545), with Solothurn colours red-white, golden crossbow and matchlock rifle (its mark of the arms factory allows the exact dating). Obverse and reverse identical. 133x82 cm. Location: Museum Altes Zeughaus, Solothurn (source).

  ## Colour Flag

  image by Ole Andersen
  Rectangular cantonal flag, as shown in Kannik (1956) [So-called colour flag (Farbenfahne in German)].
  Ole Andersen, 4 August 2002

  See also: STATE COLOURS in Dictionary of Vexillology

  ## Flaggen, Knatterfahnen and Livery Colours
  |  |  |

  by Pascal Gross

  Flaggen are vertically hoisted from a crossbar in the manner of gonfanon, in ratio of about 2:9, with a swallowtail that indents about 2 units. The chief, or hoist (square part) usually incorporates the design from the coat of arms – not from the flag. The fly part is always divided lengthwise, usually in a bicolour, triband or tricolour pattern (except Schwyz which is monocolour, and Glarus which has four stripes of unequal width). The colours chosen for the fly end are usually the main colours of the coat of arms, but the choice is not always straight forward.
  Knatterfahnen are similar to Flaggen, but hoisted from the long side and have no swallow tail. They normally show the national, cantonal or communal flag in their chiefs.

  Željko Heimer, 16 July 2000

  See also: HANGING FLAG, VERTICALLY HOISTED FLAG, LIVERY COLOURS in Dictionary of Vexillology

  ## Early 20th Century Flag Design

  (abebooks.com) (source)

  At the beginning of the 20th century, flamed flags were still in use, with the white cross replaced by a (baroque) shield in the centre of the flag. These decorative flags had been used until WWII and then somewhat forgotten in preference of the current cantonal flags. Today they are being produced again (see right image).
  Pascal Gross/Martin Karner

  See also:

  - National flag and other cantonal flags with "Early 20th century flag design"
  - Modern Flamed Flags
  - FLAMMES in Dictionary of Vexillology

  ## Logo

  (loc. 8 May 2024)
  (source)

  ## Cockade

  (swissmilitaria.ch)

  Cockade for the cantonal troops' headgear (regulation from 1898, size: ca. 35 mm, reverse side).
  Martin Karner, 14 March 2025

  See also: Cockades (Swiss Army)