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Gornji Kneginec (Varazdin, Croatia)

Općina Gornji Kneginec

image by Željko Heimer, 19 August 2004

Overview
Coat of Arms
Previous Symbols

See also:

Overview

On the official web site of the County of Varaždin, <www.varazdinska-zupanija.hr>, some communities are represented with their coats of arms, presumably those who have adopted them as yet.
Gornji Kneginec - Gules on a Mount Vert a Tower embatteled Argent with a barred Window Sable from that is issuing a Hand properholding Scales Or, in chief a Crown Or and overall a wreath dexter three Mais Ears Or and sinister a Vine Branch Or. An unusual one, there must be an interesting story behind it, alas I don't know it (yet).
Population: 5,000 (Zemljopisni atlas Republike Hrvatske", Školska knjiga, Zagreb 1993).
Željko Heimer, 15 Febuary 2003

As Tomsilav Sipek noticed, the Večernji list (Zagreb daily newspaper) issued a story today in the regional issue for norhern Croatia a story on the adoption of the new symbols for the community of Kneginec Gornji. See <www.vecernji-list.hr>.
The adopted symbols are besed on the previous more complicated symbols. The overcomplicated coats of arms was symplified in lines with the heraldic practice introduced in the last decade in Croatia. The flag is (dark) blue with the coats of arms in the middle.
Also, on the community web site there is the story on the new symbols (from some days ago when they were only final proposals): <www.kneginec.hr>.
This story confirms that there in fact was a previous flag of the community (and that it was not a monocoloured flag) together with the coats of arms that I reported. The community find out an appropriate way what to do with the old symbols - they have given them to use for the local folklore society that shall continue to use them and thuse preserve in a lively way a bit of the history.
Željko Heimer, 21 July 2004

The coat of arms of Gornji Kneginec adopted on 20th July 2004 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 centrury 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 was 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.
Source: Željko Pavlek: "Općina Kneginec Gornji dobila novi grb i zastavu - Simbol pravde Andrije II. Arpadovića", Večernji list, 21.07.2004 Info Miroslav Bubnjarić, Općina Kneginec Gornji, <www.kneginec.hr>, 11.08.2004.
Željko Heimer, 19 August 2004

Here is the reference to the decision adopting the current symbols: Odluka o opisu i uporabi grba i zastave Opcine Gornji Kneginec, 16.07.2004, Službeni vjesnik Varaždinske županije, br. 21/2004, 23.07.2004.
Željko Heimer, 16 October 2005

The official gazette of Varaždina County (available on-line at <www.glasila.hr>) include the full text of the decision adoping the symbols of the community of Gornji Kneginec we already have mentioned on
However, the decision gives us also some data on the previously used symbols by abrogating the previous decision: Odluka o opisu i uporabi grba i zastave Opcine Gornji Kneginec, 10.10.1995. Therefore the previous symbols were used from 1995 (10 October) until 2004, and not since about 1997, as I was misinformed by the community officials.
Željko Heimer, 30 July 2006

The community adopted a new decision on the COA and flag in 2009, replacing the previous 2004 decision. However, no change in the description of the symbols adopted in 2004, but some other minor procedural details are changed: Odluka o opisu i uporabi grba i zastave Opcine Gornji Kneginec, 09.09.2009, Službeni vjesnik Varaždinske županije, br. 32/2009, 16.09.2009.
Source: <www.glasila.hr>.
Željko Heimer, 20 December 2009

Coat of Arms

image by Željko Heimer, 19 August 2004

Previous Symbols

image by Željko Heimer, 24 July 2005

Coat of Arms
image by Željko Heimer, 15 Febuary 2003

Between 1997 and 2004 another set was used without approval from the central government. Thanks to the info provided by Marko Vitez, webmaster of the site <www.kneginec.hr> I may add info on the matching flag. The flag used in the period 1997-2004 was of five stripes orange and white with the coat of arms set in the canton. One may argue that the five-striped flag was inspired with the similar flags of the city of Varaždin and the Varaždin County. Unfortunately, this was against the regulations and was not approved by the Ministry.
Željko Heimer, 24 July 2005

I received info from Marko Vitez about the previous flag of the community after he saw my initial drawing and after he was digging a bit further in his community - apparently, his memory of the flag being orange and white was errorneous and he corrects it to red and white.
Željko Heimer, 16 October 2005