One of my all-time favorite symbols is the fleur-de-lis (or fleur-de-lys for plural). Touring through Italy and France, the fleur-de-lys is prevalent in the art, the architecture, coat of arms, even product packaging and more.
The English translation of fleur-de-lis is “flower of the lily.”
The Fleur-de-lis has appeared on countless European coats of arms and flags over the century. It is particularly associated with the French monarchy. It remains an enduring symbol of France although the fleur-de-lis has never been officially adopted by any of the French republics.
The fleur-de-lis is the emblem of Florence. The symbol can be found all through out the city. It even appears on storm drains and utility covers in the street.
While on vacation, I snapped quite a few pictures of fleur-de-lys. It became the running joke with my family, especially when I was snapping photos of storm drains in Florence to capture the symbol.
