Portugal National Anthem

Listen to National Anthem

Anthem History

adopted 1910; "A Portuguesa" was originally written to protest the Portuguese monarchy's acquiescence to the 1890 British ultimatum forcing Portugal to give up areas of Africa; the lyrics refer to the "insult" that resulted from the event

Anthem Lyrics

Heróis do mar, nobre povo,

Nação valente, imortal

Levantai hoje de novo,

O esplendor de Portugal

Entre as brumas da memória,

Ó pátria sente-se a voz

Dos teus egrégios avós

Que há-de guiar-te à vitória.

Às armas! Às armas!

Sobre a terra e sobre o mar!

Às armas! Às armas!

Pela Pátria lutar!

Contra os canhões marchar, marchar!

Desfralda a invicta bandeira

À luz viva do teu céu

Brade a Europa à terra inteira

Portugal não pereceu!

Beija o solo teu jucundo

O oceano a rujir d'amor

E o teu braço vencedor

Deu mundos novos ao Mundo!

[coro]

Saudai o sol que desponta

Sobre um ridente porvir;

Seja o eco d'uma afronta

O sinal de ressurgir.

Raios d'essa aurora forte

São como beijos de mae

Que nos guardam, nos sustêm,

Contra as injú rias da sorte.

Portugal Flag

Flag History

red stands for revolution, green for hopt. The armillary sphere (a navigational instrument of the Age of Discovery) commemorates Prince Henry the Navigator, who inspired the sea voyages that let to the discovery of new lands and created Portugal's colonial empire. The central part of the shield shows the arms of Portugal, adopted by Alfonso Henriques after the Battle of Ourique in 1139. The five blue shields represent the defeated Moorish kings of Lisbon, Badajoz, Beja, Elvas, and Evora. The divine assistance that enabled Henriques to be victorious is commemorated on each shield by white dots representing the five wounds of Christ. The red border which is charged with seven yellow castles was added to the arms after the annexation of Algarve and the wedding of King Alfonso III and Beatriz of Castile in 1252.

Flag Date of Adoption

30 June 1911

Flag Symbolism

two vertical bands of green (hoist side, two-fifths) and red (three-fifths) with the Portuguese coat of arms centered on the dividing line

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