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São José do Barreiro, São Paulo State (Brazil)

image by Dirk Schönberger, 4 February 2013
Based on: http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%E3o_Jos%E9_do_Barreiro

Description of the Flag

See also:

Description of the Flag

A freen field with a white saltire bordered red, and the municipal arms on a white square centred and rotated on to point.

Official website at http://www.saojosedobarreiro.sp.gov.br
Dirk Schönberger, 4 February 2013

São José de Barreiro was originally known as Barreiro, lit., "a quagmire". There were so many cattle that crossed the river there that the place became a quagmire that stopped any traffic until the drop in the water level. Ranches were built nearby to keep the cattle during the waiting time. At the end of the 17th century, Captain Fortunato Pereira Leite, coming form Minas Gerais, founded a hamlet named Barreiro. The fertility of the soil and the proximity with the ports of Mambucaba and Paraty attracted more and more people. In the 18th century, coffee was introduced in the area, making the fortune of the "coffee barons". A chapel dedicated to St. Joseph was built in 1820 and the village was renamed São José do Barreiro. The municipality of São José do Barreiro was established on 9 March 1859.

The municipality of São José do Barreiro (4,097 inhabitants in 2010; 57,063 ha ) is located 275 of São Paulo.

The flag is green, quartered by a red-white-red saltire. In the middle is placed a white square lozenge charged with the municipal coat of arms.

The coat of arms represents the municipal government, while the white lozenge represents the town as the seat of the municipality. The stripes represent the municipal power spreading all over the municipal territory. The saltire emphasizes the link of São José with the Christian religion. The quarters represent the legendary Cordilheira do Mar and Serra da Bocaina.

White is a symbol of peace, work, friendship and purity, as well as of purity and benignity, representing also the purity of the climate. Green is a symbol of honour, civility, courtesy, abundance and joy, as well as of hope. Red is a symbol of patriotic love, dedication, audacity, intrepidity, courage and valiance, which are the attributes of the local people involved in the defence of democracy in the 1932 Revolution and in the Second World War.

http://www.saojosedobarreiro.sp.gov.br/bandeira.php - Municipal website

Photos of the flag
http://www.cidadaobarreirense.blogspot.fr/2011/07/oficio-ao-governador-de-sao-paulo-dr.html
http://www.prb10.org.br/municipios/9406/novo-vereador-em-sao-paulo.html
Ivan Sache, 7 February 2013