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Flags of the World

Page created: 1st October 2000 Last updated: 27th December 2023
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 Istria County. Legend: Gr. = Gračišće, KL = Kaštelir - Labinci, SN = Sveta Nedelja, SP = Sveti Petar u Šumi, Sv. = Svetvinčenat, TV = Tar - Vabriga, Vi. = Vižinada

Istria County - Cities

Istarska županija - gradovi

1. Pazin
   • Pazin, 1974 – 1990
2. Buje – Buie
   • Buje – Buie, 1976 – 1993
3. Buzet
4. Labin
   • Labin, 199x
   • Labin, 197x – 199x
5. Novigrad – Cittanova
   • Novigrad, 1993 – ca. 1995
6. Poreč – Parenzo
   • Poreč – Parenzo, variant
7. Pula – Pola
   • Pula, 196x ? – 1990
   • Brioni Maggiore, 1933 – 1945
8. Rovinj – Rovigno
   • Rovinj, ca. 1920
9. Umag – Umago
   • Umag – Umago, variation
10. Vodnjan – Dignano
    • Vodnjan – Dignano, ca. 1995 – 2003

Since 1993 the Croatian legislation allows the units of local self-government (counties, cities and communities) to have their coat of arms and flag, however these may be legally used only after they are approved by a central state authority. The a flag of a city or community should be of a one colour field with the coat of arms in the centre or offset towards hoist. Some exceptions from this rule are tolerated for the cities with traditional flag established before these rules were made. The coat of arms must follow also a set of rules to be approved. Some cities and communities use unapproved designs nevertheless. See more on the approval dates. Prior to 1993 the coats of arms and flag were not regulated by state legislation.
The official bazon (heraldic descripton) of the coats of arms and descriptions of the flags are according to the approval text of the central state authority, other description according to other city documents.
In 1997 the communities of Novigrad and Umag were given the status of a city, and in 2003 Vodnjan, too.

• Istria County
• Croatia - Counties
• Croatia
• City of Fiume/Rijeka, 1918 - 1924 and Italian provinces in the eastern Adriatic 1918 - 1943 on the Province of Pola and the Province of Carnaro during the Italian rule

Pazin

1:2

The coat of arms of Pazin is argent bordered or a tower issuant azure and it is based on stone carvings preserved in the city assembly. When the neighbouring communes of Gračišće, Pićan, Tinjan and Barbana already had seals in 1409, it was recorded that Pazin had none at the time. The oldest coat of arms of Pazin is preserved in the parish curch of St. Nicolas in Pazin from 1441, being gules a bar argent and overall issunat from the base a tower with embatteled walls argent. The background of the shield reminded to the ownership of the Pazin County by the Austrian archdukes, while the tower is picturing the city and also reminds to the previous owners Von Thurn (della Torre). This was used since, preserved in notably ceremonial depiciton on a document from 1715. During the Napoleonic wars the red-white-red Austrian background was replaced with the blue background more pleasing to the Italian irridentists, to be used until the end of World War I. In the 20th century the colours were reversed, and such coat of arms from 1930 is preserved in stone carving that has been model for all the coats of arms afterwards. In the 1940 in the chief of the coat of arms was set in red header the fasces and laurel branches. After the Wolrd War II the coat of arms was in disuse until it was formally adopted in 1974 with the adition of a red five-pointed star above the tower. The star was in practice removed in 1990, to be formally adopted in the current form in 1994 together with the newly established flag: vertical, blue with the coat of arms set in the top of its lower half. The ceremonial flag is of the same design made of richer materials, vertical banner with golden fringe on three edges. A horizontal version of the flag is not prescribed, but it is also used nevertheless. The Ministry has not yet issued the approval for the use of these symbols rejecting them for "heraldic irregularities, change of colours, introduction of new element - the border, irregular consturction of the shield, wrong stylization of the tower and unherladic use of colours argent and or". Inspite of that, the coat of arms and the flag are in use.

Pazin, 1974 – 1990

No flag.

The coat of arms used in the socialist period included the red five-pointed star above the tower. The flag was not reported.

Buje – Buie

1:2

The coat of arms is Argent a Cross Gules. Similar coat of arms is held by several other cities in the area, and probably originates from the crusade period. It was used when city was under governance of the Aquilean Patriarchate (15th century). The flag in use is of Bouerdaux red for the field colour with the coat of arms in the centre. The vertical flag is de jure only one prescribed, it includes the coat of arms off-set to top, it has rectangular tails and it is bordered with golden edges. However, several variations are in use, including such vertical flag of simple rectangular shape as well as its horizontal variation, as well as the version without the yellow outline. The white outline around the coat of arms may be omitted in some versions, while some versions use the same Bouerdaux red from the cross in the shield. Table flags are vertical rectangular version of the prescribed flag with the city name inscribed in two rows in Croatian and in Italian in the bottom.
The Tourist Board of Buje uses the coat of arms Or a Cross Gules, naming it the historical coat of arms of the city.

Buje – Buie, 1976 – 1993

1:2

In the socialist period, instead of the historical arms with the cross, a coat of arsm depicting four stripes raising from the bottom and widening in arches towards the top half of the shield was adopted. The colours were not specified. The flag prescribed was red with golden embroideried coat of arsm in the cenhtre.

Buzet

1:2

The coat of arms of Buzet pictures the city gates and a well within a cartouche including the oak and vine ornaments. It is set in the canton of a diagonal bicolour white-red flag. The primary orientation is vertical, but hoirzontal hoisting is allowed. The ceremonial flag is of the same design with golden fringe.
The same design of the coat of arms, and possibly also the flag, was already in use by the former Community Buzet, when the design was confirmed in 1993.

The Italian name of Buzet is Pinguente.

Labin

1:2

The coat of arms of Labin is Argent a Cross Gules like that of several other Istrian cities. The representation within oval golden bordered shield and in silver cartouche makes it unique. The shield is flanked with three horizontal bars on both sides and there are green lily branches in lower part. The lower end of the cartouche is reminding on the cog wheel as Labin are is the most industrially developed part of Istria. The flag of Labin is red with the coat of arms in the middle.
The ceremonial flag is a red gonfalon ending triangularly and with three tails, edged yellow and with yellow fringe along the bottom. In the middle of it is the coat of arms in full colours and above it the name of the city. Table flags are vertical version of the official flag with the city name inscribed in an arc above the arms.

Labin, 199x

(1) 1:2

(2) 1:2

In early 1990's Labin was using ornamental flags with outlined coat of arms in several colour combinations, e.g. white on red, black on yellow, blue on white and similar. In late 1990's the white flag with full-coloured coat of arms was also reported, although the red flag was adopted already in 1993.

Labin, 197x – 199x

1:2

The flag of the municipality of Labin used in the socijalist period was red with the municipal emblem off-set to the hoist rotated as for vertical display. The emblem depicts a stone doorway with a mallet and a hammer in saltire in the keystone - a mine entrance and within it a cityscape at a top of a black mountain with golden top inscribed "KOVA JE NASA" (the shaft is ours) and above it the date "2.III 1921" (the Feast of Candlemass) - the miners holyday and start of the miners rebelion in 1921. when the shortlived Republic of Labin was establihshed.

Novigrad – Cittanova

1:2

The coat of arms of Novigrad is argent a saltire gules. The stone carvings with coat of arms of Novigrad are preserved today from at least 14th century, and since at least early 17th century the cross is finally determined to be a red saltire (St. Andrew's cross) throughout. The flag is white with the coat of arms in the middle.

Until 1997 Novigrad had a community status.

Novigrad, 1993 – ca. 1995

1:2

The coat of arms used in late 1980's was of a slightly different shape and with the light blue background. It was adopted in 1993 with a white flag with it in the centre and a series of red and white squares along the border.

Poreč – Parenzo

1:2

The coat of arms of Poreč is Per pale Argent and Gules. The shield is surrounded by laurel and oak branches. This coat of arms is used in Poreč since the Middle Ages. The flag is vertically hoisted red and white with the coat of arms set centered in the top half of the flag. The ceremonial flag is of the same design, with two triangular indentations in the bottom, edged with golden string and with golden tassels at the fly points. A weighting crossbar is set near the bottom of the flag above the tails.
A varation of the flag with the coat of arms set in the center is also reported in use (often with larger arms then prescribed). Table flags are used in either forms, but also a three-tailed similar to the ceremonial one.
During the Italian rule, the community of Parenzo, got its coat of arms recognized in 1935. The details of the recognized design, although basically the same as the current one, are currently unknown.

* Note: the official blazon in the Ministry approval was simply copied from city decisions; the approval was granted prior to the establishment of the Coats of Arms and Flags Approval Commission, and unlike the subsequent approvals, it does not contain the heraldic blazon written by an expert.

Poreč – Parenzo, variant

1:2

A variant graphical representation of the same coat of arms is also used - in the headers of the official gazette and the city magazine at least, even though the above design is apparently preferably used in other official occasions.

Pula – Pola

1:2

The coat of arms of Pula is similar to other simple arms with cross so often in Istria, testifying their ancienity, but the colour combination used in Pula are rather unique Vert a cross Or. Various colour combinations were used previously, red cross in silver or blue, but Pula also used several other arms during the years, the oldest recorded being gules two bars or of 1431 being the family arms of Castropola. It is believed that the green-golden version in an oval shield was introduced during the French administration in the early 19th century, after the lyvrey colours of the Castropola dukes of Pula. The green arms with the golden cross and massoned crown above the shield was confirmed in 1846, and during the Italian rule in 1930, and since 1941 until 1947 the city had a count crown with nine pearly over the shield.
Two forms of the arms are prescribed, the official one simple heart shaped shield without borders and the ceremonial form, adding ornamental renaissance border to the shield, with curls at the upper corners and a stylized fleur de lis and a white ribbon at the top and a pointed base. The form in use in official letterheads is a combination of the two - adding yellow outline of the shield and the pointed base, but it is not formally prescribed.
The flag of Pula is also atypical diverting from the rule requiring the Croatian civic flags to be monocoloured flags with coat of arms. The flag of Pula is banner of arms, a flag in so called Scandinavian cross pattern, green with yellow cross. The width of the cross is 1/5 of the hoist and the length of the canton is 3/5 of the hoist.

Pula, 196x ? – 1990

1:2

After World War II the coat of arms of Pula with the cross was abandoned. Since ca. 1969 a blue shield with a white representation of the Arena (Roman amphitheatre), waves in the base and a red five-pointed star in upper sinister corner was used. The flag was blue with the coat of arms in the centre, also used in vertical version. The flag was customarly hoisted together with the flags of the Socialist Yugoslavia, Croatia and the Italian minority (with the star).
Pula adopted new symbols in 1992, but details of those are yet unknown.
Between ca. 1958 until ca. 1969 an other version was used, in a blue samnitic shield within a border of white rope a white representation of the Arena, infront of it a golden bow of a cargo ship in construction with a golden crane to its dexter and a red five-pointed star in the sinister corner.

Brioni Maggiore, 1933 – 1945

Veliki Brijun

The Brijuni islands, today territorially part of the city of Pula-Pola, were seceeded from the Commune of Pola in 1933 into a separate municipality. The community adopted a coat of arms in 1935: vert in a bend sinistre azure 15 mullets of five or, the central one larger that the others, between a fascio and ruins consisting of a half and an entire column or, topped with a silver mural crown, and with the usual oak and olive wreath and tricolour ribbon. This was rejected by the heraldic authorities, and eventuall a new design was adopted: per bend sinistre azure a mullet of five or encircled with fourteen smaller mullets of five also or and vert ruins consisting of a half and an entire column or and overall a lictorial chief, again topped with a silver mural crown, and with the usual oak and olive wreath and tricolour ribbon. It was granted by a royal decree in 1940 (Gioviniazzo claims 1942) together with a matching gonfalon of blue with a a silver border ornament, wih three tails, ending triangularly and with triangular indentations between them, with the coat of arms, the community name in an arc above.

Rovinj – Rovigno

1:2

The coat of arms of Rovinj is white with a red cross, as it is case of a number of Istrian cities and towns. The characteristic of the cross of Rovinj is its arched form, probably derived from the representations of the oval concave shield typical for Italian heraldic influence. The modern representation of the coat of arms with the slanted cross was established in the 19th century. While the oldest depictions of its arms with a pomengranate on a branch are dated in the 13th century, however, it is known from a 1208 document that at that time Rovinj still used no arms nor seal.
The flag of Rovinj is blue with the coat of arms flanked with golden leaves of oak and laurel in two vertical columns. The vertical flag recorded in use has only one pair of leaves ornaments. The ceremonial flag is of various blue colour shade in gradient from light at the top to the dark at the bottom, it includes the arms over the name inscribed in two rows in Croatian and in Italian. The bottom ends in three rectangular tails, the central one longer, depicting a half-opened pomengranate.

Rovinj, ca. 1920

Rovigno

2:3~

With the end of 19th century and into the Italian rule before the World War II, the coat of arms topped with a heraldic crown and surrounded with laurel and oak branches was established. The flag of blue with the shield of the arms is recorded at the turn of the century. The coat of arms of the community of Rovigno d'Istria was recognized by a decree in 1938 and a gonfalon was established, no further details are currently known.

Umag – Umago

1:2 | 1:3 | 1:6

The coat of arms of Umag is a historical one, a golden lion standing atop two silver towers issuing from a wavy sea. The flag of Umag is turquoise blue bordered with yellow and with the coat of arms in it. Five variations in the ratio and orientations are prescribed, horizontal flags in the ratio 1:2 and 1:3 with the coat of arms set in the centre of the first square, and vertical flags in the ratio 1:2 and 1:3 with the bottom of the coat of arms set and the bottom of the first square and in the ratio 1:6 with the coat of arms set in the centre of the first two squares. The Ministry approved the design among the several prior to the establishment of the standardized rules. The artwork of the coat of arms was amended since, not changing the decision. The original design is not apparently used any more, see below.

Until 1997 Umag had a community status.
* Note: the official blazon in the Ministry approval was simply copied from city decisions; the approval was granted prior to the establishment of the Coats of Arms and Flags Approval Commission, and unlike the subsequent approvals, it does not contain the heraldic blazon written by an expert.

Umag – Umago, variation

1:2 | 1:3 | 1:6

During 1990's the city changed the artistic representation of the coat of arms, retaining the same decisions and the blazon. The new design changes only slightly some inner details of the coat of arms, such as the lion's face, details of the towers and representation of the waves. The new designs is apparently used in the various prescribed flags and rather consistently by the municipal authorities. The designs in use employ various shades of blue, from very light to deep dark blue.

Vodnjan – Dignano

1:2

The coat of arms of Vodnjan is Argent a Cross Gules, not unlike several other Istrian cities and towns. The flag is yellow with the coat of arms in the centre. The ceremonial flag is a dark yellow (orange) gonfalon with the coat of arms in the centre, topped with a mural crown and surrounded with an olive and an oak branch tied with a light blue ribbon; the name of the community inscribed in two arches below in the Croatian and the Italian language. Initially the inscription was Općina Vodnjan/Comune di Dignano, but when the city status was obtained in 2003, a new flag was made, reading Grad Vodnjan/Città di Dignano. The table flag is rectangular variation of the ceremonial flag (in standard yellow).
City officials claim that besides the statutory prescritions, the city has not adopted a decision on the coat of arms and the flag and that it did not acquire the approval from the Ministry.
During the Italina rule, the community of Dignano d'Istria got granted (recognized) its coat of arms and a gonfalon in 1936. No further details of this decree are currently known.

Vodnjan – Dignano, ca. 1995 – 2003

The symbols of Vodnjan, based on its historical coat of arms were adopted around 1995, when Vodnjan had the status of a community. The ceremonial flag then had appropriate inscription.

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Flags of the World