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Moralzarzal (Municipality, Community of Madrid, Spain)

Flag ofMoralzarzal - Image by Ivan Sache, 15 July 2015

Presentation of Moralzarzal
Symbols of Moralzarzal

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Presentation of Moralzarzal

The municipality of Moralzarzal (12,321 inhabitants in 2014; 4,260 ha; municipal website) is located in the north-west of the Community of Madrid, 25 km of Colmenarejo and 50 km of Madrid.

Moralzarzal is believed to be the merger of two former villages, Fuente del Moral (The Mulberry's Fountain) and Zarzal (Brambles). The old villages are documented in the acts of the numerous lawsuits that opposed the Councils of Madrid and Segovia for the control of the area; Zarzal appears in these documents as a borough of Fuente del Moral, which must have eventually been incorporated in the growing village. Moralzarzal was granted the status of villa in 1636, under its today's name, separating from the Real de Manzanares.

The tower of the Town Hall proudly bears the Frascuelo clock, offered on 4 October 1886 by Salvador Sánchez "Frascuelo" (1842-1898), one of the most famous toreros ever. The exact reason of the present is still unknown; the torero often stayed in the village, in a house supplied by his great friend, the cattle-breeder Julián Martínez. Highly estimated by the villagers, Frascuelo fought a bull in Moralzarzal, being eventually rewarded with a silver dagger.

Ivan Sache, 15 July 2015

Symbols of Moralzarzal

The flag of Moralzarzal (photos, photo, photo, photo) is red with a vertical blue stripe placed along the hoist and the municipal coat of arms in the middle.

The Royal Academy of History approved the proposed flag and arms. The municipality previously used an unofficial coat of arms, based on a tombstone found in the parish church. Probably featuring the personal arms of a local churchman, the design was not considered as relevant for municipal arms. The proposed arms, designed from scratch, represent Fuente del Moral and Zarzal, the graphical representation of the elements being compliant with the aesthetic of heraldry. The arms are "Or a bramble [zarza] proper on waves azure and argent. The shield surmounted by a Royal Spanish crown".
The proposed flag, compliant with the norms of vexillology, is red with a blue stripe of 1/5 in width at hoist, and the municipal coat of arms in the middle.
[Boletín de la Real Academia de la Historia, 1991, 188, 2: 386-387]

The symbols do not appear to have been officially approved. However, the municipality officially sells the flag (225 cm x 150 cm), for 31.60 €, as prescribed in Article 7 of Fiscal Ordinance No. 25, signed on 21 December 2012 by the Mayor and published on 31 December 2012 in the official gazette of the Community of Madrid, No. 311, p. 166 (text).
The municipality appears to use a coat of arms quite different from the proposal approved by the Academy. The waves in base are replaced by a quarter azure charged with a fountain argent. Beneath the shield is a scroll argent inscribed "VILLA DE MORALZARZAL" in letters sable.

Ivan Sache, 15 July 2015