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Flags of the World

Page created: 16th September 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 Varaždin County.

Varazdin County - Communities

Varaždinska županija - općine

1. Bednja
2. Beretinec
   • Beretinec, proposal 1997
   • Beretinec, 1994 – 1997
3. Breznica
4. Breznički Hum
5. Cestica
6. Donja Voća
7. Gornji Kneginec
   • Gornji Kneginec, 1996 – 2004
   • Gornji Kneginec, 1995 – 1996
8. Jalžabet
9. Klenovnik
   • Klenovnik, 1994
10. Ljubešćica
11. Mali Bukovec
12. Martijanec
    • Martijanec, ceremonial flag 1997.
13. Maruševec
14. Petrijanec
15. Sračinec
    • Sračinec, 1995
16. Sveti Đurđ
17. Sveti Ilija
    • Sveti Ilija, 2013 – ca. 2017
    • Sveti Ilija, 1994 – ca. 2007
    • Sveti Ilija, 1994 – ca. 2007, variant
18. Trnovec Bartolovečki
    • Trnovec Bartolovečki, winning proposal 2017
    • Trnovec Bartolovečki, proposal 2003
19. Veliki Bukovec
20. Vidovec
    • Vidovec, 1997 – 1998
21. Vinica
    • Vinica, variant
    • Vinica, 1833
22. Visoko

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 community documents.
In 1997 the community of Breznički Hum changed the word order in the name, while Veliki Bukovec was formed. In 2006 the name of Donji Martijanec was changed to Martijanec.

• Varazdin County
• Croatia - Counties
• Croatia

Beretinec

1:2

The coat of arms is Gules a Hedgehog Or. The Statute claims that this is the historical coat of arms of Beretinec, but even if it provides longish explanation why the hedgehog was chosen, it does not mention when the coat of arms was granted/adopted first time and how it was ever used earlier. The flag is green with the coat of arms in the centre. The table flags in use are vertical with the yellow community name inscribed above and below the shield following its shape.

Beretinec, proposal 1997

1:2

A design considered for approval was different in details - the shield was of rectangular shape while the flag was of "petroleum green" colour. Eventually, the semicircular shield and normal green was approved and formally adopted.

Beretinec, 1994 – 1997

The coat of arms adopted prior to the corrent one was in a Baroque shiels per fess, azure a Baroque castle on a mound vert and in the chief two mullets argent and gules a bunch of grapes or between four wheat ears of the same. The coat of arms depicts the Šaulovec castle, and the mullets are from the family arms of its owners, Kiss de Savlovcz. For the blue it is stated to represent the blue skyes, and red the principle of life. The fruits represent abundance and diligence. A ribbon with the inscribed year of the first mention of Beretinec in documents, 1236, was set under the shield in some occasions. The flag was blue with the coat of arms in the centre of it. So far no information if it was ever actually produced.

Breznica

Seat of administration: Bisag

1:2

The coat of arms of Breznica is azure a firefighter's trumpet argent standing on a tree stump with a birch sprout vert issuing in sinister. The birch is canting for the community name (Croatian breza - a birch tree). The flag is green with the coat of arms in the centre of it. There is a flag, presumably a ceremonial one, of the same general design with the community name added above and in a yellow ribbon above the yellow outlined arms and with yellow birch branches beneath the arms with the depiction of the historical Bisag castle in their base.
While the formal seat of administration is in the village of Breznica, the actual community offices and most of the other infrastructure is in the village of Bisag, near the location of ruins of the medieval castle, deconstructed partially after 1918 and finally burned in a fire during the World War II. The symbols were consecrated by parish priest on 22 July 2016, the Community Day, Feast of St. Mary Magdalene.

Breznički Hum

1:2

The coat of arms of Breznički Hum is azure an water pump argent and a post horn or in chief. The flag is blue with the golden bordered coat of arms in the centre. Around 2013 the community stared also using light blue flags without the outline around the coat of arms. The ceremonial flag is a blue gonfalon with three triangularly ending tails and with golden fringe along bottom, the coat of arms in the centre outlined with tripple wattle ornament, the name of the community above in two arches and linden branche ornaments below in the tails. A table flag is a vertical blue flag with the coat of arms in the centre and the golden inscriptions in arches above and below. Besides that a white triangularly ending flag with blue inscriptions is used, as well.

Until 1997 the official name was Hum Breznički.

Cestica

1:2

The coat of arms is azure a vine tree proper fructed or winding around a Latin cross argent issuant from a triple mount vert. The symbols are explained standing for the strugle of the inhabitants for spiritual and material goods, for the soil configuration, agricuture and wine producing tradition, while the cross stands for the people of Cestica as godfearing folk, devout Christrians. The flag is light blue with golden bordered coat of arms in the centre.
Table flag is recorded in several variations, as a simple vertical version of the official flag or with added inscriptions of the community name, either in a single line above, or above and below the arms as pictured here.
The symbols were adopted after a public competition held in 1995, where the winning proposal was made by the parish priest Ivan Košić, and the design was adopted in the assembly on 23 February 1996. In 1997 a design by Krunoslav Čolo was formally adopted, based on the Košić's idea.

Donja Voća

1:2

The coat of arms of Donja Voća is azure on a base vert a garb or ribboned gules infront of a rake in bend, a scythe in bend sinistre above a spade between a plough and a harrow all argent. This is based on the community seal of 1864, coloured version is found in Laszowski, who blazons it simply as azure a garb between agricultural tools. The flag is red with the coat of arms bordered yellow in the centre of it. The ceremonial flag is a red gonfalon with three triangularly ending tails with yellow fringe and tassels, in the centre of it the coat of arms topped with the name of the community in two arches and a vine ornament below it. The coat of arms and the flag were consecrated on the Community Day, the Feast of St. Martin 2010.

Gornji Kneginec

Seat of administration: Turčin

1:2

The coat of arms of Gornji Kneginec is azure scales or and in chief two crowns also or. The flag is dark blue with the yellow bordered coat of arms in the middle. The symbols refer to the events of 11th century when Emerick inherited the Croato-Hungarian throne. He was in a feud with his brother Andrew, known as Herzog Andrew II Arpad. After a battle in which Emerick was victorious he locked up Andrew in the Kneginec tower in 1204. However, soon Emerick died, but before that he crowned his young son Ladislas, releasing Andrew to be his guardian and regent. The scales as a symbol of Kneginec were granted by Andrew as a symbol of justice for the people who cared and helped him during his imprisonment. The two crowns refer to the two royal brothers.
The recently adopted symbols are simplification of the previously unofficially used coat of arms. In 2004 the central authorities provided a positive assesment of the design, requiring only that the central gem in the crowns should be made red instead of blue. Such changed design was eventually approved in 2005, but the original design with the blue gems is nevertheless used by the community.

Gornji Kneginec, 1996 – 2004

1:2

In 1996 a new set of symbols was adopted. The coat of arms was sable an arm holding scales or and in the chief dexter a crown also or. The flag was red with that coat of arms in the centre of it. It seems that although these symbols were adopted they were not (much?) used, the previous set was in de facto use until the adoption of the current design.
Depictions reconstructed!

Gornji Kneginec, 1995 – 1996

1:2

The previous coat of arms of Kneginec Gornji is Gules on a Mount Vert a Tower embattled Argent with a barred Window Sable from that is issuing a Hand proper holding Scales Or, in chief a Crown Or and overall a wreath dexter three Maize Ears Or and sinister a Vine Branch Or. With it there was a flag of five stripes, based on the County flag, red and white with the coat of arms set in a vertical white stripe 3/7 of the flag length wide next to the hoist.

Jalžabet

1:2

The coat of arms of Jalžabet is quartered, 1st and 4th chequy gules and argent, 2nd and 3rd azure a three on a mount proper and in inescutcheon azure St. Elisabeth argent crowned or holding a buch of roses gules. St. Elisabeth of Hungary is parton and name sake of the community. The flag is divided with a raising diagonal red and white with the coat of arms set next to the hoist. The symbols were consecrated on St. Elisabeth Day, 17 November 1993. Table flags in use are blue with the ceremonial form of the coat of arms, adding the Baroque mantle of yellow and red inscribed with the community name and the year 1334. Above it and below in arcs it is inscribed the community name in white Fraktur letters.
According to local officials in 2017, a formal decision regarding the adoption of these symbols was not adopted.

Klenovnik

1:2

The coat of arms of Klenovnik is gules a filed maple leaf vert with two pairs of fruits maroon. The field maple (Acer campestre) is called in Croatian klen and the community name means a maple groove. The flag is blue with the coat of arms in its centre. It is also used in a vertical version. There is also a published design (proposal) made by Cosmos Design Varaždin, where the leaf and the fruits (samaras) are all golden. Neither design was yet adopted formally, although the frist one is being used unofficially.

Klenovnik, 1994

Flag unknown.

In 1994 a coat of arms was used on a post mark used in Klenovnik post office, per fess two filed maple leaves with its fruits in the chief and a depiction of the Drašković castle. Colours unknown.

Ljubešćica

1:2

The coat of arms of Ljubešćica is sable bordered or a goute d'eau. The flag of Ljubešćica is white with the coat of arms bordered yellow in the centre. The ceremonial flag is a white gonfalon edged yellow ending triangularly with golden fringe, the coat of arms bordered golden in the centre of it, the name of the community green in an arc and a line above and green branches of linden and oak below. The table flag is borderless variation of the ceremonial flag, with black inscription in two lines above.
The symbols were consacrated by mons. Anđelko Koščak on 5 August 2006 during the celebrations of the Community Day.

Mali Bukovec

1:2

The coat of arms of Mali Bukovec is sable St. Florian or standing on a column of the same issuant from the base. St. Florian is the patron of community. The black is said to represent persistence, prudence and firmness, the yellow nobility, openhandedness and light. The flag is green with the coat of arms bordered yellow in the centre of it. The green is said to represent happiness and natural richness of the community. The ceremonial flag is a green gonfalon ending trangularly with golden fringe with the coat of arms in the centre, the name of the community above and an oak branch and a garb beneath.

Martijanec

1:2

The coat of arms is Gules behind a Mitre Argent crossed and lined Or a Sword in bend Argent handled and pommed Or and in base a Mount Vert issuant. The flag is yellow with the coat of arms in the centre. The charges in the coat of arms refer to St. Martin, bishop of Tours, originating from Pannonia, the namesake and patron of the community. The mount stands for the Gomila site, an Iron Age tumulus (barrow), the largest one in the north-western Croatia. The ceremonial flag, produced after 2006, is a yellow gonfalon with three triangularly ending tails with tassels, the coat of arms in the centre, name of the community above and green vine tree branches with golden bunches of grape below.

Until 2006. the name of the community was Donji Martijanec.

Martijanec, ceremonial flag 1997.

1:2

The original decision adopting the symbols prescribed the ceremonial flag to be equal to the regular flag, but swallow-tailed and with the coat of arms set perpendicularly to the hoist. It is stated in the description that the swallow-tailed form is "characteristic for the old flags of Panonian Croatia". It seems that such flag was never produced and a different gonfalon was eventually made.

Maruševec

1:2

The coat of arms of Maruševec is or a lily-of-the-valley stalked proper with two leaves vert and five flower argent. The flag is green with the coat of arms bordered yellow in the centre. Flags without the border around the coat of arms, as well as the flag with a white border are also recorded in use. The lily-of-the-valley (Convallaria majalis L.) locally named đurđica or đurđevak blosoms in easrly spring and is, as the name suggests, connected with the St. George's Day. The legend states that the palce developed around the castle of the same name that was built by a noble women Maruša who came here from the Czech lands. The first mentioned owner of the castle is one Grgor of Maruševac, who mentiones the place near the St. George's church in a charter he issued in 1351.
The ceremonial flag is a green gonfalon ending triangularly with golden fringe with the white bordered coat of arms in the centre, the name of the community in two arches above and oak and linden branches below. Table flags of the same basic design are used.

Petrijanec

1:2

The coat of arms is chequy of nine gules and argent and overall an oval escutcheon bordered with golden Croatian wattle in white field black lined Community Hall on green base with a blue spring with two circular golden waves. The flag is blue-white-blue triband with the coat of arms in the centre. The ceremonial flag is the same with golden fringe on three edges. In the post-2002 statutes, they are no longer described, but they are confirmed with the new 21018 decision.

Sračinec

1:2

The coat of arms of Sračinec is sable St. Michael or with wings spread, holding in his dexter scales and in his sinister a spear with which he is piercing a dragon gules on which he is standing. The coat of arms depicts the patron saint of the community and the parish. The flag is red with the coat of arms off-set to the hoist.

Sračinec, 1995

1:2

The initially adopted coat of arms of Sračinec had the dragon coloured golden as well.

Sveti Đurđ

1:2

The coat of arms of Sveti Đurđ is the saint patron, St. George on a horse slaying the dragon. The flag is light blue with the coat of arms in the middle.

Sveti Ilija

1:2

The coat of arms of Sveti Ilija is azure an arm argent issuant from the sinister grasping a pale twice beviled or. The golden thunderbolt is a symbol of St. Elias, the name sake, and the hand clasping it stand for the harnessed natural powers. The flag is blue with the coat of arms bordered yellow in the centre.
The design was used even prior to the formal adopton in celebrations of St. Elias the Profet, the Community Day on 20 July 2016.

Sveti Ilija, 2013 – ca. 2017

1:2

Eventually Sveti Ilija adopted a modernized design: quartered, first and fourth gules a bunch of grapes vert slipped sable, second and third vert a fess wavy azure, overall a thunderbolt or in pale and two arms grasping hands argent issuant from flanks clead argent. The golden thunderbolt is a symbol of St. Elias, the hand clasping it stand for the harnessed natural powers, unity and welcome, the red fields are for fire and blood, grapes for abundance and hard work, the green fields for agriculture and the blue stripes for the Bednja river. The flag was chose blue with the coat of arms in the centre. It is said that the blue is for sky and sea, confidence, loyalty, wisdom and faith. The design is modification of the previously used one to conform with the state regulations. The table flag used was a blue vertical flag with the coat of arms and the community name in a line above and an arch below the arms.

Sveti Ilija, 1994 – ca. 2007

2:3 ?

The coat of arms used from the first half of 1990's included in a cartouche the same elements as the current one with minor differences in artistic representation and colouring. The flag adopted at the same time was blue over yellow over green tricolour with the coat of arms in the middle. The reverse of the flag included in the same cartouche the representation of St. Eliah the Prophet riding the flaming chariot, with ribbons inscribed with the community name and the year 1247.
A white flag with the coat of arms was also reported, of unknown status. These symbols were probably rejected by the Ministry of Administration.

Sveti Ilija, 1994 – ca. 2007, variant

1:2

Besides the two-sided flag, flags depicting the same coat of arms on both sides were also used, sometimes with the arms somewhat differnetly stylized.

Trnovec Bartolovečki

1:2

The symbols of Trnovec Bartolovečki are recorded in use since the Community Day 2017. The coat of arms is argent six fritillary flowers gules 3-2-1 and in the chief vert a bar wavy of the first. The fritillay (Croatian kockavica), known also among other English names as snake's head, chess flower, chequered lily has naturally checkered pattern reminiscent to the Crotian coat of arms. The six of them stand for the six settlements in the community. the final design includes also green short stalks with two small leaves. The wavy bar represents the Drava river. The flag is dark blue with the coat of arms bordered yellow in the centre of it. The ceremonial flag is also made, a blue gonfalon ending triangularly, bordered with a yellow ribbon and golden fringe along the bottom, with the coat of arms in the centre, the community name in three lines above it, and a green poppy with two red flowers, two buds and three large leaves.

Trnovec Bartolovečki, winning proposal 2017

1:2

The community of Trnovec Bartolovečki adopted its symbols in 2017 following a 2012 competition. The original winning design had somewhat differently stylized fritillary flowers.

Trnovec Bartolovečki, proposal 2003

1:2

In 2003 the community issued an official envelope with the proposed design of its symbols, as their promotion. The coat of arms shown is gules a thorny crown or between a bar and a barrulet both wavy argent. The flag is blue with the coat of arms in the centre of it. These symbols were, apparently, not adopted and are not mentioned since. The thorns (Croatian trnovi) cant the community name and six of them stand for the six settlements of the community. The thorny crown represent the martirs to which churches are dedicated in them. The bar above represent the Drava river and the barrulet in base the Zbel stream.
The same design on blue background was submitted inthe 2012 competition by Volić and was awarded the third prize.
"Spomenica" mentions that the community adopted designs for its symbols on 14 September 1998. It is not clear if these are the same as the above.

Veliki Bukovec

1:2

The coat of arms of Veliki Bukovec is azure a dove argent displayed armed gules stantant on a geranium flower also argent. The dove stand for the patron of Parish of St. Francis of Asizi in Veliki Bukovec, while the geranium stands for the flower production in the community. The flag is blue with the coat of arms bordered yellow in the centre of it. The ceremonial flag is a blue gonfalon with three triangularly ending tails ornamented with beech branches, the coat of arms and the community anme in three rows above it. The beech (Croatian bukva) branches refer to the name Bukovec. Grb Velikog Bukovca je u plavome raskriljena bijela golubica sjedi na bijelom cvijetu pelargonije. Golubica simbolizira zaštitnika Župe sv. Franje Asiškoga u Velikom Bukovcu, a cvijet proizvodnju cijeća na području Općine. Zastava je plava sa žuto obrubljenim grbom u sredini. Svečana zastava plavi je gonfalon s tri repa trokutastog kraja u kojima su zlatni ornamenti od grančica bukve, s grbom u sredini i nazivom općine u tri reda iznad. Grančice bukve odnose se na ime Bukovec.

Until 1997 it was part of the a community of Mali Bukovec.

Vidovec

1:2

The coat of arms of Vidovec is Or a cabbage eradicated Vert. The flag is blue with the coat of arms in the centre. Table flags are vertical versions of it, some with the community name inscribed above in a line and below in an arch.
The 1996 report the presentation of the symbols on the St. Vitus ceremony, but it is unclear if these were those eventually adopted in 1998. The 2006 Statutes clam that the coat of arms is a historical one, that it certainly in not, and that was subsequently removed from the text.

Vidovec, 1997 – 1998

1:2

The competition for design of the symbols of Vidovec was held in 1994 and some symbols were presented in the assembly in 1996. It is not clear if these were the same was the basic design of the Vidovec symbols that was prepared during 1997 and formally adopted as proposal by the end of the year. It was eventually replaced by the current graphical representation, matching the same descriptions. The flag design was recorded still in use as late as 2011.

Vinica

1:2

The coat of arms is Azure a vine tree vert with five bunches of grapes or. The symbol is canting for the community name, and that coat of arms is found already in medieval seals of the marketplace of Vinica from 1532. The arms were shown in colours already by Valvasor in "Opus Insignorium 1689", claims Laszowski, who also show it in 1930's. His drawing served as the graphical pattern for the current design. The flag is blue with the coat of arms in the centre bordered yellow. Flags without the yellow outline around the arms are also recorded in use. Table flags in use are vertical with the coat of arms and the community name inscribed yellow in two rows, above in line and below in an arc.
In 2009 a ceremonial flag was also prescribed, described simply as a blue gonfalon ending triangularly with the coat of arms in the centre of it, but was removed from the Statutes in the subsequent decision. The gonflanon is nevertheless in use, in the triangularly ending shape, with the coat of arms in the centre, the name of the community above and two vine branches with bunches of grapes below.

Vinica, variant

1:2

A variant coat of arms in use depicts somewhat different colouring of the vine tree and darker shade of blue. The same was used on flags, possibly more often in 1990's.

Vinica, 1833

~10:9

The flag of the Marketplace of Vinica produced in 1833, kept in the collection of the Varaždin City Museum (inv. br. GMV KPO 1408). A horizontally four-striped flag of red and yellow with an oval bordered with a floral wreath painted on both sides: on the obverse Queen Maria Theres holding two oval portraits of her sons Joseph II and Leopold (depicted after the photo in the source), and on the reverse Mother of God with Child (omitted in the drawings above). Inscribed on the obverse "VEXILLUM OP[P]IDI VINICENSIS" (Flag of the Marketplace of Vinica), the year "1833", and the title "MARIA THERESIA REGINA" (Queen Maria Therese). The reverse is inscribed "SANTA MARIA ORA PRO NOBIS" (St. Mary pray for us).
The original was restored in the Department for Textiles, Paper and Leather of Croatian Conservation Institute for the "Varaždin under the Habsburg crown" exhibition held in 2015 in the Varaždin City Museum.

Visoko

1:2

The coat of arms of Visoko is or a blackbird holding in the beak two plumbs all proper standing on a mount vert. The plumbs refer to the local petty nobility granted to the local inhabitants in 12th century, nicknamed plumb-growers (šljivari). The local plumb sort Bistrica is said to be represented in the design. The flag is blue with the coat of arms in the cinetre. Table flags in use are vertical versions of it with community name inscribed golden above and below shie shield, the bottom inscription in an arc following the arms curvature.
The 2006 and 2009 Statutes describe the flag to have the ratio 1:3, but this is probably a typo.

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Flags of the World