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Tykocin commune (Poland)

Białystok county, Podlaskie vojvodship

image by Chrystian Kretowicz, 27 Oct 2008
adopted 7 Nov 2003

Tykocin commune flag
Tykocin Coat of Arms

See also:

Tykocin commune flag

Tykocin - urban-rural commune, Białystok County, Podlaskie Voivodship - German name: Tykotzin.
Gmina Tykocin is an urban-rural gmina (commune) in Białystok County, Podlaskie Voivodship, in north-eastern Poland.
Its seat is the town of Tykocin, which lies approximately 29 kilometres (18 mi) west of the regional capital Białystok.
The commune covers an area of 207.34 square kilometres (80.1 sq mi), and as of 2006 its total population is 6,477 (out of which the population of Tykocin amounts to 1,893, and the population of the rural part of the gmina is 4,584).

Tykocin is a small, old town in north-eastern Poland, with 1,800 inhabitants (1998), located on the Narew river.
It is one of the oldest cities in Podlaskie Voivodship. The name of Tykocin was first mentioned in the 11th century.
The Jewish population of the town was eradicated during the Holocaust.
The estimated 3400 Jewish residents of Tykocin were marched into a nearby forest (Lopochova) and executed by firing squad into pits. A memorial now exists outside the city.
Tykocin received city rights in 1425, lost them in 1950 and regained them in 1993.

"Tykocin - where the tailor was a poet...
It so quiet that one can hardly believe this place used to be visited by kings, princes and hetmans.
The famous local fairs bustled with activity. Trade was brisk at Jewish stalls, a kantor was singing in the synagogue and Polish police made sure that nobody violated its peace on holidays."
(from town's website)

Arms and flag adopted on November 7, 2003 (resolution # XIV/83/03).

"Arms: on the red, Polish-style shield head of "tur" in gold color ("tur" = aurochs or urus {Bos taurus primigenius} an extinct animal once prevalent in Europe. Despite the royal protection and the death penalty for poaching, the remaining herd succumbed to diseases and the last recorded live aurochs, a female, died in 1627 in the Jaktorów Forest, Poland. The skull was later looted by the Swedish Army during the Swedish Deluge of 1655-60 and is now in possession of Livrustkammaren in Stockholm.
The head of aurochs appears also on many Moldavian (or Moldovan) flags).
Above the shield of the Coat of Arms of Tykocin is a crown in the shape of the defensive wall with the gate and the date "A.D.1425"
Bottom of the shield is semi-encircled by the Latin legend: "INSIGNE CIVITATIS TYKOCIENSIS".

Flag: is in colors derived from the Coat of Arms as shown in the proof addendum to the resolution of 2003."
Chrystian Kretowicz, 27 Oct 2008

Tykocin Coat of Arms

image by Chrystian Kretowicz, 27 Oct 2008
adopted 7 Nov 2003