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Flags of the World

Page created: 1st October 2000 Last updated: 9th December 2009
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 Coast and Gorski Kotar County. Legend: M.-D. = Malinska - Dubašnica

Coast and Gorski kotar County, the - Cities

Primorsko-goranska županija - gradovi

1. Rijeka
   • Rijeka, 1998
   • Rijeka, 1967 – 1998
2. Bakar
3. Cres
   • Cres, since 14th century
4. Crikvenica
   • Crikvenica, 1978 – 1990
5. Čabar
6. Delnice
7. Kastav
8. Kraljevica
9. Krk
10. Mali Lošinj
11. Novi Vinodolski
12. Opatija
    • Opatija, 1995
13. Rab
14. Vrbovsko

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 the reform of 1997 seven communities were given the city status (Bakar, Cres, Delnice, Kastav, Kraljevica, Mali Lošinj, Vrbovsko)

• Coast and Gorski kotar County, the
• Croatia - Counties
• Croatia
• City of Fiume/Rijeka, 1918 - 1924 on Independent City of Rijeka 1918 - 1924 and on Province of Carnaro during the Italian rule 1925 - 1943

Rijeka

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The coat of arms of the city of Rijeka is basically the same as the coat of arms granted on 6^th June 1659 by Croatian king and Austrian emperor Leopold I. In an oval shield Gules a double-headed eagle Sable both heads looking to sinister with rised wings beaked and membered Or and langued Gules standing with its dexter on a cliff and its sinister holding a vase proper from which is pouring water filling the space around the cliff. The flag adopted finally in 1998 is blue with yellow bordered coat of arms in the middle. The traditional flag of Rijeka is red over yellow over blue tricolour based on the colours of the coat of arms described elsewhere is still sometimes used unofficially, especially by the citizens (football fans, during carnival etc.). It was actually first adopted as the civic flag in 1998, but the Ministry of administration rejected it, even it is a historical flag, it is nowadays used by irredentist "Free Fiume Community Association in Exile" and therefore not appropriate. The Ministry also suggested removal of the Austrian imperial crown above the eagle and omitting of the motto "Indeficienter" (inexhaustible).
The coat of arms is reference to Rijeka (literary meaning "river") and the short swift water-rich river Rječina after which the city is named.
During the history Rijeka (known also by the Italian name Fiume) had special status in Austria-Hungary, and after the World War it was proclaimed free city. More on flags used see on other pages here.

Rijeka, 1998

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The coat of arms adopted initially in 1998 was more faithfully to the 17th century original. There was the Austrian imperial crown with two blue ribbons hanging horizontally from it above the eagle, and a ribbon with inscription "INDEFICIENTER" (inexhaustible, referring to the abundance of the river water) below the shield.
The flag adopted initially in 1998 was red (dark carmine) over yellow (dark goldish yellow) over blue (ultramarine) with the coat of arms in the middle.

Rijeka, 1967 – 1998

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The coat of arms adopted in 1967 is variation of the historical coat of arms of Rijeka in accordance to the style of the period. The Habsburg eagle was removed and only was retained a stylized vase from which is pouring water into the sea. The shape of the shield was made to remind to a silhouette of a ship. The flag adopted at the same time is blue with two white triangles next to the hoist representing the flow and the delta of the Rječina river. This flag was hoisted often in Rijeka during Yugoslavia regularly together with the contemporary flags of Yugoslavia, Croatia, the Italian minority and the League of Communists.
This coat of arms is until today used in some occasions, e.g. by the Rijeka public transport company and in the emblem of the F.C. "Rijeka". Their fans use the blue and white flags together with the historical red-yellow-blue tricolours and as well as the current flags of the city.

Bakar

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The coat of arms is the modernization of the historical coat of arms of Bakar, granted in 1799 by Empress Maria Theresia: tierced per fess, in the chief 5x2 chequy gules and argent, in the heart azure three towers argent embattled and with a window and doors sable issuant from as many mounts vert, and in the base or an anchor sable fouled argent in bend.
The flag is white over yellow over blue tricolour, based on the coat of arms. This unusual pattern for the Croatian civic flags was approved by the Ministry, because of the confirmed historical use of such flag in 19th century.

Until 1997 Bakar had status of a community.

Cres

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The coat of arms of Cres originates from XIV century, Azure a Hipopanther Or. The modern shield is based on the historical examples preserved mainly as carved in stone in several places in Cres. The hipopanther is a beast composed of horse's head, long ears, horns like oxen, long swan-like neck, griffon's (i.e. eagle's) forelegs, and horse's rear legs and lion's tail. It spits fire, as a rule. A legend told by the Cres inhabitants explain it as symbolic for themselves - tame and lovely (and ready to work hard) as young horses they become dangerous as lions and eagles when they are provoked.
The traditional flag of Cres is striped blue and golden-yellow with the coat of arms in the middle, and is claimed to be in use for seven centuries. Modern flag is blue with the yellow bordered coat of arms in the middle.
There is also a ceremonial flag in gonfalon form adorned with olive branches and a bunch of grapes.

Until 1997 Cres had status of a community.

Cres, since 14th century

The Statutes of the city of Cres claims that the traditional flag "used already seven centuries" is of alternating blue and golden stripes with the traditional coat of arms in the middle. I have found no other sources for this claim so far.

Crikvenica

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The coat of arms is blue with a house over a bridge with an embattled tower to the right and a bell-tower to the left all silver/white, from which is issuing a golden palm tree. The coat of arms pictures the old fortified city (kaštel) of Crikvenica The flag is yellow with the coat of arms in the middle.
A ceremonial flag is also used, vertical gonfalon with three triangularly ending tails, the middle of longer then the other two. The coat of arms is in the middle, the name of the city above, and golden ornaments below in the tails.

Crikvenica, 1978 – 1990

No flag.

The coat of arms of Crikvenica adopted in 1978 is in a light blue shield a gray tower between two white sails ensigned with a green tree above a gray bridge with tree arches over a blue river and in base a brown ship afrontee its top in chevron inverted edged green its oar holes gules and in the chief a red five-pointed star. The ship's oar holes forms letter C for Crikvenica, the bridge is that over the Dubračina stream near which the Frankapan's tower was erected in 15th century. It is set between two "sails" representing the two other towns at the time being parts of the community, Novi Vinodolski and Selca and the trees represent the forest laying in the hinterland. The flag was not adopted.

Čabar

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The coat of arms of Čabar is Vert a bar argent in chief a fortified city of the same and in base a buck's head erased or. The flag is green with the coat of arms in the middle.
The decision describes the coat of arms with wavy bar, but it seems that the straight one is used. The flag as prescribed in the decision includes also golden inscription "Grad Čabar" beneath the coat of arms. These details might have been corrected after the Ministry suggestion, but the decision on that is not issued in the official gazette.

Delnice

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The coat of arms of Delnice is Azure a forestry worker standing on a mount vert propped a pick proper. The man is clad in local garment - white shirt, golden rimmed black waistcoat, green trousers and with a black hat with golden ribbon. The coat of arms is a historical one, it originates from seals of 1805, shown in a shield shape by Lazsowski, althugh it was apparently not used much until modern readoption.
The flag is green with the coat of arms in the middle bordered golden.

Until 1997 Delnice had status of a community.

Kastav

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The coat of arms of Kastav is modernization of the historical one: Azure St. Helena (Empress mother of Constantine the Great) issuant from the base clad in white and cloaked gules, crowned and haloed or holding a cross of the last. The flag is red with the yellow bordered coat of arms in the middle. The ceremonial flag is dark red with the coat of arms and the inscription GRAD KASTAV in Roman Capital letters with a characteristic slanted letter S.
The 1995 decision adopts the different symbols, but they seem not to be approved by the Ministry. The coat of arms is gules two towers connected with walls with city gates Voltica, rising above the belfry of the Church of St. Helena and below all two ivy branches with golden fruits. The flag is bicolour - silver over red with the coat of arms in the middle. Also a ceremonial gonfalon is prescribed, red with coat of arms and the inscribed name of the community above and three tails with ivy leaves and golden fruits.

Until 1997 Kastav had status of a community.

Kraljevica

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Karljevica or in Italian Porto Re have a coat of arms that pictures the name meaning the Royal Port: Azure, an Anchor Or ensigned with a Royal Crown proper. The coat of arms is set in the middle of a blue flag, and in ceremonial flag is richly ornamented with embroidery and fringed.

Until 1997 Kraljevica had status of a community.

Krk

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The coat of arms of the city of Krk is a historical one, in oval shield an owl standing on a green triple mount. The flag is red with the coat of arms in the middle. The red ceremonial flag is fairly simple, three tailed gonfalon with the coat of arms and name of the city inscribed above. The coat of arms is also used ornamented with an oak and an olive branch beneath the shield.

Mali Lošinj

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The coat of arms of Mali Lošinj is used since at least early 20th century Azure a three-masted sail-ship maroon with full sails or. The flag is light blue with the yellow bordered coat of arms in the middle.
The flags of the shipping companies from Mali Lošinj are often found in international vexillologic sources under the Italian name of the city of Lussinpiccolo.

Until 1997 Mali Losinj was a community.

Novi Vinodolski

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The coat of arms of Novi Vinodolski is a historical one: Azure a tower argent massoned and embattled with windows sable issuant from a Mullet or. The charges symbolically show the city as a fortress of the Frankopan family, one of the most important Croatian feudal families, whose emblem was a six-pointed star. The flag is azure blue with the coat of arms in the middle.

Opatija

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The coat of arms of Opatija pictures a white seagull with red beak and claws standing on top of a white tower on a cliff in blue field with blue and white waves in base. In more ceremonial occasions it is bordered in gold and with a golden ribbon bearing the city name in black below. The flag is blue with coat of arms in the middle. The ceremonial flag is a blue gonfalon with three trails containing ornaments of laurel and oak and the name of the city above.

Opatija, 1995

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The coat of arms was first adopted in 1995 with one difference - the bird above the tower was an eagle with its head turned towards dexter. After several months this was changed to a seagull looking towards sinister. The flag was adopted with that coat of arms bordered yellow, and a ceremonial flag with laurel and oak ornaments in tails.

Rab

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The coat of arms shows the city's patron, St. Christopher carrying Baby Jesus across a river. The city uses several historic variants depicting in blue the city with four belfries above waves ensigned with a crescent and a golden star and depiction of St. Christopher holding Jesus and a palm branch. In the obliequely divided white and light blue flag the shield is topped with yellow St. Christopher's crown and surrounded with of an olive and oak wreath, with a bicolour white and blue ribbon falling from the crown encircling the wreath seven times bearing the The inscription Felix Arba. This is the name of the city in Latin with the title Felix given to especially meritorious cities in Roman times.
Until the end of 2009 no flag related legislation issued in official gazette, except the 1993, 2001 and 2009 Statutes containing the same description of the coat of arms and the flag, that are not approved by the central authorities. The 2nd design, designed on the historical pattern, but in accordance with the state regulations is not used by the Rab authorities.

Vrbovsko

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The coat of arms of Vrbovsko is modernization of the coat of arms granted by Emperor Joseph II in 1785 per fess or an eagle displayed sable beaked, lagued and membered gules and azure a bridge on two pillars issuant from water connecting two cliffs argent. The flag is green with the coat of arms in the middle.
The ceremonial flag is a green gonfalon ending triangularly, bordered golden with fringe along bottom edge. In the middle is the coat of arms, above in two rows name of the city and below crossed branches of oak and fir.

Until 1997 Vrbovsko was a community.

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Flags of the World