Official hoisting of the Spanish national flag

• The official hoisting of the national flag took place at noon at the 'Jardines del Descubrimiento'

The ceremony of the official hoisting of the national flag for the month of April at the 'Jardines del Descubrimiento' in Colón Square.

On this occasion the hoisting was performed by the Guardia Civil, which marched with an honours guard made up of  27 servicemembers, a hoisting team and a small music band.

As usual, the event was also attended by Armed Forces' veterans who enthusiastically participate in these events.

The flag-raising ceremony in Plaza de Colón is held monthly, on the third Wednesday of each month, on a regular basis. It is also held four times a year on an exceptional occasion, known as the "solemn hoisting of the flag". The first of these is on may 15th, on the occasion of the festivity of San Isidro. The second is on June 19th, the anniversary of the coronation of HM the King, and is presided over by the President of the General Council of the Judiciary. The third is on July 12th, which coincides with the anniversary of the date on which the Constitutional Court came into operation, and is presided over by the President of the Constitutional Court. The last of the year is held on December 6th, day of the Spanish Constitution, and is co-chaired by the presidents of the Congress and the Senate.

The flag is 300 square metres in size and weighs 35 kilos. It was raised for the first time in 2001, when the previous 21 meters mast was replaced by the current 50 meters. The mast has a rotating head that allows it to move in the same direction as the wind, preventing the flag from wrapping around it, which weighs almost 20 tonnes and is anchored on a footing resting on four pillars in the Colón underground car park.