The Argentine flag was created by Manuel Belgrano on February 27, 1812 during the struggle for Independence of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata from Spain. With the intention of raising the spirits of the soldiers, Belgrano took the existing colors of the cockade used during the revolution of May 25, 1810 and made one flag. The Argentine flag was hoisted for the first time on the 23rd of August of 1812 in the tower of the San Nicolás de Bari Church, where the Obelisk (Av. Corrientes & Av. 9 de Julio) now stands.
On July 9, 1816; while fighting for independence from Spain, the light-blue and white flag was accepted by the Congress, as a national symbol; and on February 25, 1818, the sun was added in the middle of the white stripe.
On June 8, 1938, the then president Roberto M. Ortiz, passed a law that declared the 20th of June (anniversary of Belgrano's death) a National Holiday as Flag Day .
The flag is made up of three horizontal stripes: the top and bottom stripes are light-blue and the middle stripe has a yellow sun with a face, known as Sol de Mayo o May Sun.
The sun that appears on the flag is a replica of the one engraved on the first Argentine coin in 1813.