Cuba Coat of Arms: Key, Rising Sun, Royal Palm & National Symbols
Decode the golden key, rising sun, royal palm, striped shield, Phrygian cap and branches that make up Cuba’s national coat of arms.
What does the golden key represent?
Official Cuban tourism material explains that the golden key symbolizes Cuba’s geographic position at the entrance to the Gulf of Mexico, between the Americas. A rising sun in the same section represents the emergence of a new nation.
Why are there blue and white stripes?
The lower-left section carries blue and white stripes that echo the national flag and refer to the historic territorial divisions of colonial Cuba.
What does the royal palm mean?
The lower-right section depicts a royal palm in a Cuban landscape. The palm is one of the country’s best-known national natural symbols and is associated with dignity and steadfastness.
The Phrygian cap and white star
The shield is crowned by a red Phrygian cap bearing a white star, connecting the emblem with republican liberty and the Lone Star imagery also used on the national flag.
Oak and laurel branches
An oak branch and a laurel branch frame the shield. Official explanations associate them with strength and victory.
Cuba Travel — National Symbols
