xxx

You can imagine the shock I had when I was told that this is the flag of Amsterdam.


And just like that all sort of questions came into my mind. Which was first the flag or the xxx movie rating? What does it mean? where does it come from?

My first instinct was to see the xxx symbol relating to the porno industry and also the symbol for dead cartoon characters.


Apparently the 3 Xs (the St. Andrew's cross) stand for the motto of the city: Valor, Resolution, and Mercy. A more popular version refers to the 3 threats of the city: Water, Fire and Pestilence.

The usage of the 3 xs is wide spread, from the official organization like the University to the Red Light District.



All we have to do now is wait for the .xxx domains to be approved.
By the way, do you think the rating system has anything to do with Amsterdam? Or it's just a weird coincidence?


*photo taken in Amsterdam / august 2010