The Coat of Arms of the Hellenic Republic of Greece.

The National Emblem of Greece consists of a blue escutcheon with a white cross totally surrounded by two laurel branches.

The emblem is painted or woven, mainly on the hats, uniforms and buttons of the military, the security forces etc.

The Greek national emblem was provided for by the Constitution of Epidauros of 1 January 1822 and was established by decree on 15 March of the same year. It was blue and white and circular in shape.

Since it was first established the emblem has undergone many changes in shape and in design, mainly due to changes of regime.

The original Greek national emblem depicted the goddess Athena and the owl. At the time of Capodistrias, the first Prime Minister of modern Greece, the phoenix, the symbol of rebirth, was added. During the reign of King Otto, the royal crest, with two crowned lions holding the coat of arms with the royal crown, became the national emblem of the country. With the arrival of King George I, the Bavarian emblem was replaced by the Danish one. After Greece became a republic in 1924 the national emblem consisted of a simple white cross on a blue background. The Danish emblem returned with the restoration of the Monarchy until 1967.