Receive an e-mail when these pages are updated?

[vexicro]

Flags of the World

Page created: 1st October 2000 Last updated: 29th November 2011
The FAME is a site devoted to the systematic and scientific study of flags and coats of arms. Such symbols often bear strong political and other messages. Inclusion of those symbols here does not mean that the author supports or approves of the ideas they may stand for.	This site is harvested for the NSK digital archives.

Map of the Split and Dalmatia County. Legend: BV = Basška Voda, DR = Dugi Rat, Du. = Dugopolje, Le. = Lećevica, Lo. = Lokvičići, Ma. = Makarska, Ne. = Nerežišća, PD = Primorski Dolac, Po. = Podbablje, Pr. = Positra, Ps. Podstrana, Pu. = Pučišća, So. Solin, Su. = Supetar, Še. = Šestanovac, Tr. = Trogir, Tu. Tučepi, Za. = Zadvarje

Split and Dalmatia County - Cities

Splitsko-dalmatinska županija - gradovi

1. Split
   • Split, 1700 anniversary
   • Split, 1969 – 1991
   • Split, 1882
2. Hvar
3. Imotski
4. Kaštela
   • Kaštela, 1987 – 1990
5. Komiža
6. Makarska
7. Omiš
8. Sinj
   • Sinj, 1994
9. Solin
10. Stari Grad
    • Stari Grad, 1997 – 2001
11. Supetar
12. Trilj
13. Trogir
    • Trogir, ca. 1995
14. Vis
    • Vis, ca. 1995 – 2010
15. Vrgorac
16. Vrlika

The regulations on the local flags in Croatia require that a flag of a city or community be of a field of one colour with the coat of arms in the middle or offset towards hoist. Some exceptions from this rule are tolerated for the cities with traditional flag established before these rules were made, while some cities choose to ignore the regulations and use a flag of their liking. It may be that in time the latter exceptions would be replaced.
In 1997 the communities of Komiža, Stari Grad, Supetar, Vrgorac and Vrlika were given the status of a city, and in 1998 Trilj was also.

• Split and Dalmatia County
• Croatia - Counties
• Croatia

Split

1:2

The coat of arms of the city of Split pictures in a rectangular shield the part of the northern walls of the Diocletian's palace, as it was in the middle age, and in the middle above the walls the belfry of the Cathedral. In the upper corners are two shields, dexter the historical coat of arms of Croatia and sinister a shield picturing the city patron St. Dujam. The coat of arms is bordered with the Gothic cheques.
The oldest confirmation that Spilt used the rectangular coat of arms are dated to the early 14th century. Stone-cuttings are preserved from 14th and 15th century showing the same coat of arms with the shields around the belfry at any time showed the central rulers to which Split was paying alliance. Latte the coats of arms of the city are used also without these shields, and at different times in different artistically rendition. In 19th and 20th century the coat of arms was sometimes shaped as classical heraldic shield, as a rule without the shields around the belfry. After the World War II the coat of arms is not used any more until 1969 when the new coat of arms design was adopted, now with socialist emblems, that are replaced with St. Dujam image in 1991.
The flag was apparently never officially adopted, but in 1996, the flags celebrating 1700 years of the city were abundantly used. Afterwards at some, the year in the design was replaced by the yet another name of the city. The flag is blue, in gradient from darker to lighter from bottom to top, with the white emblem in the lower half, consisting of six inscriptions SPLIT forming the silhuette of the Diocletian's palace with the St. Dujam Cathedral belfry topped with a cross.

Until 1993 the community of Split was part of the Civic Assembly of Communities of Split, together with Solin and Kaštela.

Split, 1700 anniversary

1:2

In 1996 Split was celebrating its 1700^th anniversary. In connection with the celebration a flag was often used during all 1990's and even afterwards, showing the logo of the celebration, which is in turn based on the traditional coat of arms. This celebration flag de facto became the only civic flag in use well into 21st century.

Split, 1969 – 1991

1:2~

With the end of the World War II the use of the coat of arms of Split ceased in practice in any form, and it was only in 1969 that the new version was adopted, with the emblems of the time. To dexter of the belfry is set the historical Croatian chequy shield, while to sinister there is in the shield argent a mullet of five gules. The official descriptions were changed slightly in 1974 and 1978, but that did not affect the drawing. This coat of arms was formally abolished with the adoption of the new design in 1991. When needed a blue flag with generic white Diocletian’s palace depiction was sometimes used.

Split, 1882

On the elections held on 9th November 1882 the (Croatian) Peoples Party won for the first time, and on 22nd November the Croatian tricolour with the historical coat of arms of the city was hoisted on the "standard" at Hrvoje's tower. The flag is preserved in the City Museum, red-white-blue tricolour, with the coat of arms: azure the Diocletian's palace with belfry argent, surrounded with a rich golden cartouche.

Hvar

1:2

The coat of arms of Hvar is per fess azure St. Stephen the Pope siting on a throne or and or on a base azure the city of Hvar argent: embatteled walls edged with two towers each topped with a blue flag opened in the middle between a church and the arsenal and behind it a castle on a rock. This is the historical coat of arms of the city. The flag is blue with the coat of arms bordered white set in the centre. The ceremonial flag is the same, made of silk and with golden fringe.

Imotski

1:2

The coat of arms of Imotski is azure a tower argent on mounts gules and in chief a mullet or and in base a crescent or. The flag is white with the coat of arms in the middle. According to Lašovski, the coat of arms was granted by the Minister of Interior in 1890, and prior to that the depiction of St. Francis of Asizi was used as the coat of arms.

Kaštela

Seat of administration: Kaštel Sučurac

1:2

The emblem used as the coat of arms shows within a square frame a tower with the central part composed of seven different towers, under a single roof and raising from a single base, above is the Croatian chequy shield and the name of the city is below under two lines symbolizing the sea, all golden on a white background. The Statutes also prescribe "Gothic white squares" to encircle the coat of arms, but these are not used in practice. This emblem symbolically shows the seven individual towns (castles = Kaštela) that make up the city. The flag is blue with the emblem (with voided background) in the middle and the name of the city repeated below. It is not officially adopted but it is in use at least since 2004.

Until 1993 the community of Kaštela was part of the Civic Assembly of Communities of Split, together with Solin and Split.

Kaštela, 1987 – 1990

No flag.

The coat of arms was originally adopted in 1987, with slight differences: it included both the chequy shield and the shield with a five-pointed stars in each corner with the inscription between, while there were three lines beneath the seven towers, symbolizing the sea. The roof is said to be symbol for the behind the coast (hilly) region of the city. It is not clear whether it was used in colours. The design was obviously modeled after the coat of arms of Split used at the period. The flag was not prescribed nor is any recorded in use.

Komiža

1:2

The coat of arms of Komiža pictures a sail ship on waves, St. Nicolas the city patron and an anchor. The flag is yellow with the coat of arms in the middle.

Until 1997 Komiža had community status.

Makarska

1:2

The coat of arms is Gules a Hand Argent issuant from dexter holding a Sabre and in sinister chief a Mullet of the same. It is the modernization of the coat of arms shown in Fojnica Armorial of XVI century and is preserved in a stone carving on Venetian fountain of XVII century in the middle of the city. The flag is blue with the coat of arms offset towards hoist on the obverse. The reverse of the flag is the blue field only without the coat of arms!
The vertical table flag contains the name of the city in lower part.

Omiš

1:2

The coat of arm of Omiš is based on the historical coat of arms: azure a Latin cross and a spiked mace both or. The flag is blue with the coat of arms off-set to hoist bordered white. The histoircial arms are preserved from 1541 as stone carving, shown in colours in 1579 Venetian charter recognizing Omiš privileges (so called the Dukala of Omiš). A new coat of arms was granted to the city in the end of 19th century by the Austrian Ministry of Interior, showing in blue shield two golden rocks, a lion on the dexter and S. George defeating the dragon on the sinister and in the chief a cross staff and a fleury sceptre in saltire, all or. Laszowski notes the use of that coat of arms in 1930's and mentiones a city flag depicting it, but further details remain unknown. Both arms were supressed during the socialist period and the older one was readopted in 1999 and again in 2002, when the flag was also introduced.

Sinj

1:2

The coat of arms of Sinj is azure a horseman on a running horse holding a spear in his right and a circular shield ensigned with alka in his left all argent and in chief a crown or. The horseman is an alkar in traditional garment - participant in traditional knightly game played in Sinj. The alka is a double concentric ring that is to be pierced with the spear by horseman. The flag is white with the coat of arms in the middle. There is also a ceremonial flag prescribed, details unknown.

Sinj, 1994

The symbols of Sinj prescribed in 1994 differ from those approved. The coat of arms is azure an Alkar on a horse argent and in the chief gules fimbriated argent a crown or. The flag is white with a red stripe alongthe top and a blue along the bottom and a golden-black oval in the white stripe off-set to hoist depicting the Lady of Sinj and the shapes of the Sinj fortresses Grad and Kamičak. These were not approved by the Ministry and are not in use, however, the 2010 decision prescribes them as the city symbols again.

Solin

Flag unknown.

The emblem used as the coat of arms of Solin is a white outlined light blue oval shield with a red stylized ground plan of the early Christian 5th century basilica (basilica urbana), its base dexter corner turning into the Croatian chequy fields, atop of it a golden Latin cross and a raising sun, to sinister white vertical wavy lines entering white lines at the base, all surrounded with black notches and the name of the city. The raising sun is said to symbolise Solin as the the "cradle of the Croatian statehood", the cross the site of Croatian christianisation. The white lines symbolise the Jadro river entering the Adriatic sea.

Until 1993 Solin was part of the Civic Assembly of Communities of Split, together with Split and Kaštela.

Stari Grad

1:2

The coat of arms of Stari Grad is azure, on a base vert city walls with three towers argent, the middle one taller, each embattled and with open doors. The flag is white with the yellow bordered coat of arms in the middle. There is also the ceremonial flag, red with the coat of arms in the middle, the name inscribed above and three different floral ornaments in three tails at the bottom - an olive, a vine and a figue. This is the mdoernization of the medieval coat of arms of the city, anciently used with red background as well. In 1879 the city was granted a new coat of arms: quartered, 1) a stone pine (umbrella pine, Pinus pinea) and a vine tree in an wheat field with a goat, symbolic for the fertility of the region; 2) an antique sail ship, symbolic for the Greek colonisation; 3) a large stone masoned wall on the bank of a bay, for the old Pharos, with an olive tree, myrtle and rosemary and 4) symbolic for hope, a lion standing on a clif by a raising sun and a swallow flying above. Around the shield were two green snakes carying the motto "LABOREMVS" (i.e. Let's work). This coat of arms was used at the turn of the century on a blue gonfalon banner. The use of that probably ended in 1918.

Until 1997 Stari Grad had community status. One can often find name Stari Grad na Hvaru to differentiate from Starigrad-Paklenica in the Zadar County.

Stari Grad, 1997 – 2001

1:2

In 1993 the community of Stari Grad adopted its historical coat of arms as preserved carved in stone on the city hall building: the oval shield set in a baroque cartouche, azure on a base vert the city walls without embattlements with three open doors, above the central an oval embattled tower with 3 (1-1-1) windows and a parapet and to its left and right each a shorter oval embattled tower with three (2-1) windows. In 1997 this was replaced with somewhat modernized drawing, fallowing the Lazsowski pattern. The flag was adopted then, white with the coat of arms bordered silver. The ceremonial flag was of the same design, made of silk and with golden fringe.

Supetar

1:2

The coat of arms of Supetar is per pale argent and gules overall a key counterchanged. The key is attribute of St. Peter, the namesake and the patron of the city. The flag is red with the coat of arms in the middle.

Until 1997 Supetar had community status.

Trilj

1:2

The coat of arms of Trilj is azure St. Michael hoding a sword and scales standing on a bridge all argent. St. Michael is patron of the town, while the bridge is there over Cetina river since Antiquity, when it was known as Pons Tiluri. The flag is blue with the coat of arms bordered white in the centre of it.

Until 1998 Trilj had community status.

Trogir

1:2

The coat of arms of Trogir is Azure, a Fort with a Bell-tower Argent on the base barry wavy of the two; a Trailing Mullet Or in canton; in the doors of the fort standing St. John Osorinus. The arms are stylistic modernization of the old seal. St. John Osorinus or St. John of Trau (Trogir) was the first bishop of Trogir in 11th century, supporting the Croatian kings ruling the hinterland, burried in the cathedral of St. Lawrence in Trogir. The figure of the saint in the city gates with a falling star appears already in 14th century seals, and the coat of arms of the same basic design is recorded in all major heraldic works in the region.
Although the descriptions state that the figure of St. John is clead gules and is holding a bishop's staff or, it is apparently depicted all white regularly in all official depictions.

Trogir, ca. 1995

5:8~

A flag used in Trogir prior to adoption of the official pattern was based on the historical coat of arms, white verical gonfalon with rectangualr tails with a square panel containing the elemets from the coat of arms - blue with a white fortress issuing from the waves with four towers and a belfry and city patron St. John Osorinus (St. John of Trau) standing at the doors, and with a shooting star in chief dexter and the coat of arms of the Republic of Croatia in sinister chief. With the adoption of the official flag, this flag would presumably be replaced, although it was still hoisted in 2004 at the Kamerlengo castle.

Vis

1:2

The coat of arms of the city of Vis is a gules on a base vert between two towers argent St. George or on a horse also argent killing the dragon also or. The flag is blue with the coat of arms bordered yellow in the centre of it.The ceremonial flag is a blue gonfalon ending triangularly, with the coat of arms in the centre, golden inscription of the city name above and on olive and a vine branch below.

Vis, ca. 1995 – 2010

1:2

The coat of arms of the city of Vis is a blue oval with St. George killing the dragon within golden baroque cartouche. The flag is white with the coat of arms in the middle.

Vrgorac

1:2

The coat of arms of Vrgorac is gules from a rock argent a massoned tower issuant and atop of it sinister a tower topped with a mast flying a flag azure. The flag is to be dark blue with the coat of arms in the middle, although confirmation is necessary. The coat of arms showing the tower of Gradina originates from 1865 (probably as a seal).

Until 1997 Vrgorac had community status.

Vrlika

1:2 ?

The coat of arms of Vrlika is gules a ruined church argent massoned sable. It is the church of St. Salvador (Sv. Spas), originating from 9th century, with the oldest remaining belfry in Croatia witnessing the Frankish influence on the Christianization of Croats. Almost identical coat of arms picturing the same church (azure a ruined church or) is used by neighbouring community of Kijevo. The flag is white with the coat of arms in the middle.

Until 1997 Vrlika had community status.

Receive an e-mail when these pages are updated?

[vexicro]

Flags of the World