image by Ivan Sache, 6 February 2022 
Last modified: 2022-03-05 by ian macdonald
Keywords: parana | paranagua | cross (yellow) | crosses: 4 | cross: christ knights | caravel | ship | lozenge |
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image by Ivan Sache, 6 February 2022
The municipality of Paranaguá (157,378 inhabitants in 2021; 82,667 ha) is
located 100 km east of Curitiba.
Paranaguá is located on the southern shore
of the Bay of Paranaguá, aka to the natives as Pernaguá or Parnaguá, the Great
Round Sea.
Paranaguá was first settled in 1550, when Cotinga island was
used as base by gold seekers. The settlers progressively moved to the banks of
the bay. Vila de Nossa Senhora do Rocio de Paranaguá was established in 1648, to
be elevated the seat of a captaincy in 1660.
Established the Captaincy of
Paraná Ports after the setup of the province of Paraná, Paranaguá was visited in
1880 by Emperor Pedro II, who laid down the cornerstone of the railway station.
Eventually inaugurated on 2 February 1885, the station was a great national
pride.
Port Dom Pedro II, established in 1935, became South America's second
exporting port and first for grain exports.
https://www.paranagua.pr.gov.br/
Municipal website
The flag and arms of Paranaguá are prescribed by
Municipal Law No. 642 promulgated on 4 September 1967.
Article 1.
Coat
of arms of Paranaguá
I. Heraldic description
The coat of arms shall
consist of a Samnite shield surmounted by an eight-towered mural crown argent.
On a field vert wavy argent, a sailing caravel argent outlined sable, bearing
the Cross of Christ gules on the sails. On a chief azure, the profile of an
island and a rising heraldic sun all or. The shield supported dexter by a
sugarcane proper and sinister by a branch of coffee proper, crossed in base and
superimposed by a scroll gules containing in letters argent the toponym
"PARANAGUÁ" and the date "26 July 1648".
II. Symbols
The Samnite
shield used to represent the arms of Paranaguá was the first style of shield
introduced in Portugal by French influence, evoking here the Latin colonizing
race and the main builder of Brazilian nationality.
The mural crown that
surmounts it is the universal symbol of domains' coats of arms; argent with
eight towers, only five of them visible in perspective view, it classifies a 2nd
rank town, that is, the seat of a county.
The sea and the caravel bearing the
Cross of Christ on the sails are evocative of the past, recalling the time of
colonization, when the Portuguese caravels came to the Bay of Paranaguá bearing
the Cross of Christ, the cross of Portuguese navigators, an event that predated
everything in the historical evolution of our country.
Blue (azure) is the
heraldic symbol of victory, honor, courtesy, civility and joy. Argent is a
symbol of friendship, fairness, peace, work, innocence and purity. Blue (azure)
is a symbol of justice, nobleness, perseverance, zeal and loyalty. Or is a
symbol of power, wealth, splendor, greatness and command. Red (gules) symbolizes
intrepidity, courage, audacity, and bravery. Accordingly, the set of colors does
not lack anything iconographically representing the nature of the people of
Paranaguá, their ideals of nobleness and integrity, as well as vigilance of our
historical traditions and our democratic institutions.
Besides the historical
imperative that guided the heraldic elaboration of the Paranaguá arms, there is
also a need to consider the heraldic analysis of the charges represented in the
field.
The sea, heraldically represented, as always in the shield's base, and
agitated, represents disdain or restless spirits; if it is calm, as in the case
of the arms of Paranaguá, it means curbed anger, benignity or liberality.
The
caravel represents a "strong spirit", which resists the most serious dangers of
war and the adversity of life.
The sun is a symbol of glory, eternity, fame,
unity and truth.
Appendix II
Flag of Paranaguá
I. Description
Quartered by a cross, the quarters forming equal rectangles, green, each charged
with a red Cross of Christ in the center, the cross consisting of four yellow
stripes starting from a central white lozenge where the coat of arms is applied.
II. Rationale end symbols
In accordance with the tradition of Portuguese
heraldry, from which we inherited the canons and rules, the municipal flags can
be divided in eight, four or three parts, having the same colors as those used
in the shield field and bearing the town's coat of arms in the center.
The
flag of Paranaguá observes this general rule, being quartered; the coat of arms
in the center represents the municipal government (Executive and Legislative)
while the lozenge where it is applied symbolizes the town as the seat of the
municipality.
The quarters symbolize the rural properties existing in the
municipality while the stripes represents the municipal power spreading to all
parts of the territory.
The cross of Christ applied to the quarters
perpetuates on the flag the first symbol to wave in Brazilian lands.
https://leismunicipais.com.br/a/pr/p/paranagua/lei-ordinaria/1967/64/642/lei-ordinaria-n-642-1967-retifica-o-brasao-e-bandeira-da-cidade-de-paranagua
Leis Municipais database
Municipal Law No. 906 promulgated on 23
March 1973 added the usual legal prescriptions of use without changing the
description of the symbols, which is not repeated.
https://leismunicipais.com.br/a/pr/p/paranagua/lei-ordinaria/1973/90/906/lei-ordinaria-n-906-1973-dispoe-sobre-o-brasao-e-bandeira-do-municipio-de-paranagua-e-da-outras-providencias-na-forma-que-especifica
Leis Municipais database
Complementary Municipal Law No. 146
promulgated on 14 December 2012 changed some prescriptions, reproducing the
descriptions of the symbols, word by word, in Appendixes I (coat of arms) and II
(coat of arms).
https://leismunicipais.com.br/a/pr/p/paranagua/lei-complementar/2012/14/146/lei-complementar-n-146-2012-dispoe-sobre-os-simbolos-municipais-e-da-outras-providencias
Leis Municipais database
The first flag of Paranaguá was established
by Municipal Law no. 188 promulgated on 29 July 1910, which was "reactivated" by
Municipal Law No. 17 promulgated on 16 July 1948.
Article 2.
A green
rectangle divided into two equal triangles by a white stripe charged in the
center with a blue sphere inscribed "PARANAGUÁ" in a semi-circular pattern.
https://leismunicipais.com.br/a/pr/p/paranagua/lei-ordinaria/1948/2/17/lei-ordinaria-n-17-1948-revigora-a-lei-n-188-1910
Leis Municipais database
The new Constitution promulgated on 10
November 1937 in the aftermath of the 1930 Revolution abolished the symbols of
the Brazilian states and municipalities. The next Constitution, promulgated in
September 1946, re-established them. Several towns re-adopted their original
symbols.
Photos
https://www.facebook.com/legislativoparnanguara/photos/1261947950642958
https://www.facebook.com/legislativoparnanguara/photos/1261938227310597
https://www.facebook.com/legislativoparnanguara/photos/1863881347116279
https://www.facebook.com/legislativoparnanguara/photos/1940119426159137
https://www.facebook.com/legislativoparnanguara/photos/1890639447773802
https://www.facebook.com/legislativoparnanguara/photos/1591360181035065
Ivan Sache, 6 February 2022
