The patriotic or national symbols of 

Guatemala represent Guatemala and its population

inside and outside its territory. 
The Quetzal, the Flag, the Ceiba, the White Nun, the Coat of Arms, the emblematic figure
of Tecún Umán and our national instrument, the Marimba, are elements that symbolize
and strengthen our national identity.
1. The Quetzal
Considered a divine bird by the pre-Columbian civilizations of Mesoamerica, our national
bird was related to the deity Quetzalcóatl, the feathered serpent in the methodology of our
ancestors.
The Quetzal was considered the "god of the air" due to its ability to fly and its green
feathers were used as a symbol for the growth of plants in the spring.
It is a medium-sized bird (36-40 cm long) but males can have tails up to 65 cm long.
It was declared National Bird of Guatemala on November 18, 1871 when General Miguel
García Granados issued Decree No. 33.

Name in Spanish Quetzal

Name in kaqchikel q’uq
Date declared national symbol November 18, 1871
Public holiday September 5
Meaning In several Mesoamerican languages, the
term Quetzal has the meaning of "sacred",
"precious" or "erected".
 
2. The Ceiba
Considered a tree typical of America, La Ceiba has earned its place in the hearts of
Guatemalans for its beautiful foliage and its incredible size. Reaching up to 50 meters in
height and 3 meters in diameter . 
To give you an idea of how immense our National Tree can be, you should know that it
would take up to 6 people holding hands to be able to surround it.  
It was declared a National Tree and national symbol of Guatemala on March 8, 1995
during the government of Colonel Carlos Castillo Armas.

Name in Spanish Ceiba

Name in kaqchikel inup
Date declared national symbol March 8, 1995
Public holiday March 8
Meaning For the Mayans, the Ceiba represented the
 communication of humans with the sky
and the underworld, it is also considered
the tree of life, sacred tree, cradle of
Xibalbá.
 
3. The White Nun Orchid
Located in the forests of Las Verapaces, the White Nun Orchid is the National Flower and
a national symbol for Guatemala.
The origin of its name is due to the fact that in the center it has a small stem that
resembles a praying nun, and being white, it was baptized as the White Nun Orchid. 
During the international flower show in Miami Beach, Florida in 1933. Botanist Ulises
Rojas proposed the White Nun as the National Symbol of Guatemala.
Therefore, President Jorge Ubico decreed the White Nun as the National Flower on
February 11, 1934.  

Name in Spanish White nun

Name in kaqchikel Sak ijix
Date declared national symbol February 11, 1934
Public holiday February 11th
Meaning This flower symbolizes peace, purity,
beauty and also the great fertile wealth of
Guatemala.
 
4. The Coat of Arms
The Coat of Arms is the national symbol of Guatemala with more elements in the five in
total.
It was designed by the Swiss Juan Bautista Frener and decreed as a national symbol by
Executive Decree No. 33 on November 18, 1871 during the government of General Miguel
García Granados.
All this happened due to the commemoration of the 50 years of independence of
Guatemala . On that occasion, the president and general Miguel García Granados asked
the mint for a design to celebrate the special date for the Guatemalan people. This work
was in charge of the Swiss engraver Juan Bautista Frener . 
The president liked the new design of the Coat of Arms so much that he decided to include
it as one of the national symbols of Guatemala and the coat of arms of the republic.

Name in Spanish Coat of arms

Date declared national symbol November 18, 1871
 Meaning Among the elements of the shield are the
rifles, which allude to force, while the
swords to justice and sovereignty. The
laurel branches to victory, the parchment
recalls the date of Independence
(September 15, 1821) and the quetzal
symbolizes freedom.
 
5. The Marimba
Denominated as an autochthonous instrument and a favorite national symbol for
many. The Marimba was decreed as the national symbol of Guatemala on August 31,
1999 during the government of Álvaro Arzú. 
There is no general agreement on the origin of this musical instrument, some believe that
it was created by the civilizations of Mesoamerica but others argue that its origins lie in the
African continent.
Regardless of the origin of this instrument, the Marimba has made countless generations
of Guatemalans dance to the rhythm that only an instrument like this could generate.
A curious fact is that in Guatemala the concept of the double marimba was created,
which was not known until then and the marimba was put on its feet so that it could be
interpreted standing up. 

Name in Spanish Marimba

Name in kaqchikel Tilinb´atz ´
Date declared national symbol August 31, 1999
Public holiday February 20th
 
6. Tecún Umán
Regent of the Quiché Mayan people during the conquest and assassinated in battle by the
Spanish conqueror Pedro de Alvarado in February 1524.
Today, Tecún Umán is remembered as a national hero who gave his life defending his
country from foreign invasion.
There are multiple legends of this character, but the most famous one tells that at the time
of death on the battlefield a quetzal (National Bird of Guatemala) rested in him and his
blood stained the quetzal's chest red . Since then chest the quetzal to shown the red
color of the blood of our national hero. 
On March 22, 1960 Tecún Umán was officially declared a National Hero of
Guatemala and a symbol of the defense of Guatemalan nationality by the Congress of the
Republic, through Decree number 1334.   

Name in Spanish Tecún Uman

Name in kaqchikel Tekun Umam
Date declared national symbol March 22, 1960
Public holiday February 20th
 
7. National anthem of Guatemala
Named one of the most beautiful national anthems in the world in the 20th century,
the Guatemalan national anthem is the national symbol that makes the hearts of all the
Guatemalan people beat more strongly when listening to it.    
Since its creation in 1897 and modification in 1934 by orders of General Jorge Ubico,
the national anthem of Guatemala represents the love of a people for the sovereignty of
their country.  
On March 14, 1987, the national anthem composed of the music of Rafael Ovalle and the
poem written by the Cuban José Joaquín Palma (later modified by the Guatemalan poet
José Bonilla) was officially named the national anthem of Guatemala .  

Name in Spanish National anthem of Guatemala

Date declared national symbol March 14, 1987
Public holiday October 24th
Meaning In the words of the sociologist Carlos
E. Prahl : "The national anthem is the
voice of a people that sings in unison their
glories, their ideals, their civic conquests,
their struggles for freedom, their common
projects, their hopes"
 
8. National flag of Guatemala
This has its origins in the conservative government of General Rafael Carrera
y Turcios but since then it has undergone multiple changes until it reaches the blue and
white that we currently have.
The meaning of the National Flag lies in its colors. The white strip between the two
celestial bodies represents the fact that the country is located between the Pacific Ocean
to the south and the Caribbean Sea to the northwest. Characteristic that very few countries
in the world share.  
It was named among the national symbols of Guatemala on August 17, 1871 by President
Miguel García Granados in Agreement No. 12 and it is very common that on its day it is
celebrated with the pledge to the Guatemalan flag . 

Name National flag

Date declared national symbol August 17, 1871
Public holiday 17 of August
Meaning The white strip between the two celestial
bodies represents the fact that the country
is located between the Pacific Ocean to
the south and the Caribbean Sea to the
northwest.