Flag of the Republic of Venice

Now this is what I'd call an ornate flag. Honestly, I'd feel it 'too much' for nearly any country/county/state/city beyond Venice. For them, it couldn't make more sense. The golden lion symbolizing Saint Mark the Evangelist, the book & sword (in times of peace, the lion holds an open book, during war, an upright sword) and my favorite detail, the cut fringes at the end of the flag that preserve the central fabric from strong offshore winds.