Flag of Pittsburgh


The flag of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is a triband flag featuring vertical bands of black and gold and the city's coat of arms in the center.
In 2004, the flag was ranked as the twenty-fourth best flag design out of 150 city flags by the North American Vexillological Association, and was the top-rated tricolor.
In tribute to the flag, all four professional athletic teams in Pittsburgh in the sports of baseball, football, hockey, and soccer are black and gold. The arms are based on those of William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham, namesake of the city.

Design of the flag

The flag is defined in the Code of Ordinances, City of Pittsburgh, Title I, Article I, Chapter 103, Section 3 as follows:

Insignia

Motto

The phrase Benigno Numine was the motto of the Earl of Chatham. It is generally translated as "With the Benevolent Deity" or "By the Favour of the Heavens".
It was adopted by the newly formed city in 1816 but somehow fell off seals and official documents and emblems in the early 20th century before being restored to the seal by City Council on July 3, 1950 and signed off by the Mayor on July 7, 1950. Even then, widespread use of the motto was not implemented until city council looked into the matter in November 1958.

Coat of arms and seal

The city of Pittsburgh's coat of arms is based on the arms of William Pitt, the first Earl of Chatham and the city's namesake. The crest of the city's coat of arms serves as a sort of mural crown, featuring an image of a fortress.
The official blazon of the city's coat of arms, as defined by a 1925 city ordinance, is as follows:
The design of the seal of Pittsburgh, is defined in the Code of Ordinances, City of Pittsburgh, Title I, Article I, Chapter 103, Section 2 as follows: