Receive an e-mail when these pages are updated?

[vexicro]

Flags of the World

Page created: 1st October 2000 Last updated: 28th November 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 Zadar County. Legend: Bi. = Bibinje, FJ. = Sveti Filip i Jakov, Ga. = Galovac, Ka. = Kali, Ku. = Kukljica, Su. = Sukošan, Šk. = Škabrnja

Zadar County - Cities

Zadarska županija - gradovi

1. Zadar
   • Zadar, 1918 – 1943
2. Benkovac
3. Biograd na moru
4. Nin
5. Obrovac
6. Pag
   • Pag, ca. 1997

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 1993, with the new administrative division (re)introducing the county system the kotars were introduced as intermediate level of local self-governing in areas with dense Serb population, as a means to granting them wider self-government. However, due to the aggression and occupation the kotars never lived up, and were dismembered in 1997 reform. In the Zadar and Knin County there was Kotar Knin established, with seat in the same named town, consisting of communities of: Benkovac, Civljane, Donji Lapac, Ervenik, Gračac, Jasenice, Kijevo, Kistanje, Knin, Kruševo, Lisičić, Lišane ostrovičke, Lovinac, Nadvoda, Obrovac, Orlić, Polača, Smilčić, Smoljanac, Stankovci, Titova Korenica and Udbina. In the 1997 reform some of those are included in neighbouring communities and some are promoted to city status. In any case, the Kotar and its communities never functioned, and certainly did not have the symbols.
Except those, in 1997 the community of Nin was given a city status, as well as the community of Pag that was taken from Lika and Senj County. The community of Kolan was formed in 2003, seceeding from Pag, and the community of Vrsi in 2006 seceeding from Nin.

• Zadar County
• Croatia - Counties
• Croatia

Zadar

1:2

The coat of arms is modernized version of the ancient arms of Zadar (known also by the Italian name Zara) picturing the saint patron of the city St. Grisogon (Sv. Krševan) in full armour riding a horse and holding a shield and a flag in front of the city walls beside the coast (water). Through the history the actual image of St. Grisogon was changed according to the artistic preference of time and the rulers. The oldest preserved seals shows only a three towered city, letter during the rule of Venetia, it is moved in the background on a hill, with a figure of St. Grisogon on a golden harnessed black horse, shield topped with a five embattlements masoned crown with a winged lion holding a book. After 1797 uder teh Austrian rule the city with surroundings received a status of a duchy, with the coat of arms argent a horseman on a black horse, similar to the previous Venetian model, however, now holding a lace in his right hand and equipped with a large red feather on his helmet. After the World War I under the Italian rule the coat of arms similar to the previous Venetian is used. During the period of the Socialist Yugoslavia, the horseman was shown without the staint's attributes and with simple red banner.
The flag adopted in 1994 is blue with the coat of arms bordered yellow in the centre of it.
There exists also a ceremonial flag being blue vertical gonfalon with the coat of arms in lower part and golden name of the city in two rows in arc above, nad ornaments from the St. Simon's chest in the three tails at the bottom.

Zadar, 1918 – 1943

Citta' di Zara

A red gonfalon with the coat of arms of the city, the shield picturing St. Grisogon on a horse galloping in front of the city walls, crowned with the massoned Venetian crown with the winged lion of St. Mark holding an open book and with a red ribbon with inscription in base. Below is the name of the city and golden fringe along the lower edge. The flag was taken to Italy in 1944, and since 2002 is kept in the Golden Medal Museum.
Zadar was capital of the Austrian crown-land Dalmatia until the break up of Austria-Hungary, when it was occupied by Italian troops. With the Rapallo agreements in 1920 Zadar was given to Italy. With the decisions of the 2nd session of the AVNOJ in Jajce and with the Italian capitulation Zadar was rejoined with Croatia.

Benkovac

1:2

The coat of arms is azure a semi griffin rampant or issuant from the base holding in the claws a branch vert with three leaves and a lily flower argent. The flags is blue with the coat of arms bordered yellow inthe middle. The ceremonial flag is a blue gonfalon ending trianguarly with golden fringe, the coat of arms in the middle, the name of the city above in two arches and oak and vine branches below.

Until 1997 Benkovac had status of a community.

Biograd na moru

1:2

The first, old Venetian coat of arms of Biograd is recorded from 1574. The new coat of arms was designed by Simičić from Zadar after an idea of Šimo Ljubić (1822-1896), a known historian. This coat of arms is still in use. It is quartered, first and fourth on a chequy gules and azure an Old Croatian crown or, and second and third, azure on a base vert a tower or with gates sable. Originally, the shield was crowned as a symbol of royal and coronation city and was inscribed "Insigni civitatis Albae maris Biograd" ("Arms of White City at Sea Biograd"). During the socialism the crown was replaced with a red five-pointed star.
The flag is of a newer date, light blue with a golden bordered coat of arms in the middle.

Nin

1:2

The coat of arms of Nin pictures the city with its walls and towers followed with a six-pointed star, originating from the emblem of the city of pre-heraldic period. The modern depiction of the coat of arms has been adopted recently based on the medieval reliefs preserved in the city walls. The flag is blue with the coat of arms bordered yellow in the middle.

Until 1997 Nin had status of a community.

Obrovac

1:2

The coat of arms of Obrovac is gules a goat rampant argent next to the hornbeam tree eradicated vert fructed or. Goats were traditionally herded in the region of sparse vegetation among whihc the horbeam (Carpinus betulus) is notable. The flag is blue (the text of the Statutes call it the indigo blue) with the coat of arms bordered yellow in the middle of it.

Until 1997 Obrovac had status of a community.

Pag

1:2

The coat of arms of Pag is in a blue shield showing St. George killing the dragon. The flag is red with the golden brodered coat of arms in the middle. The ceremonial flag is a dark red gonfalon ending with three tails with golden fringe. In the middle of it is set the coat of arms of the city between two green sage branches with blue flowers, above inscribed in golden "GRAD PAG" and below are set golden ornaments with sage (Salvia officinalis) elements in the tails. Accordinging to some reports, the red with with the coat of arsm including the two coloured sage branches is also occasionally in use.

Until 1997 Pag had status of a community in the Lika-Senj County.

Pag, ca. 1997

1:2

The coat of arms of Pag used in 1990's was slightly different in artistic redention, but otherwise heraldically it was the same coat of arms.

Receive an e-mail when these pages are updated?

[vexicro]

Flags of the World