Last modified: 2009-08-15 by ivan sache
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![[Flag of Ptuj]](../images/s/si-096v.gif)
Municipal flag of Ptuj - Image by Željko Heimer, 14 September 2004
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The municipality of Ptuj (23,957 inhabitants; 66.7 sq. km) is located
in north-eastern Slovenia, in the region of Lower Podravje. Ptuj is
considered as the oldest town in Slovenia. Known in Latin as Poetovio,
the town was mentioned by several Latin writers; it evolved from a
military camp set by the Romans to support the conquest and
colonization of West Pannonia to a self-governing colony set up in
103 AD and named "Colonia Ulpia Traiana Poetovio". The colony's fame
peaked in the 2nd-3rd centuries; burned to ashed by the Huns in 450,
the town was rebuilt and watched a crossing of river Drava until 570.
In the 8th-11th centuries, the area and town were settled by the Avars
and the Slavs, who built the most significant early medieval town in
Slovenia.
Following the conquest of the region by the Franks, the strategic
importance of the town was reevaluated; originally incorporated into
the Margraviate of Lower Pannony, the town was progressively
transfered under the rule of the Archbishop of Salzburg, that lasted
from 977 to 1555. Following the liberation of Hungary, the border
moved away; no longer a strategic place and several times damaged by
big blazes, Ptuj declined to a small provincial town but kept a
significant trading activity.
Source: Ptuj tourism website
Ivan Sache, 5 April 2009
The flag and arms of Ptuj are described in Article 2 of the Municipal Statutes Statut Mestne občine Ptuj (uradno prečiščeno besedilo), adopted on 20 June 1999 and published on 22 July 1999 in the official municipal gazette Uradni vestnik Mestne občine Ptuj, 6/1999.
The flag is simply described to be white with the coat of arms in it.
According to the Statutes, there should also be a Decision regarding
the use of the symbols but it seems that it has not been adopted yet.
The flag of Ptuj is white with the coat of arms in the middle, as shown by Gogala [gog02]
Željko Heimer, 10 September 2005
The flag of Ptuj is hoisted, together with the flags of Slovenia and the European Union, in front of the town hall.
Ivan Sache, 5 April 2009
![[Arms of Ptuj]](../images/s/si)096.gif)
Coat of arms of Ptuj - Image by Željko Heimer, 24 January 1999
Article 2 of the Municipal Statutes defines the municipal coat of arms as the coat of arms of the town of Ptuj dated 1576, "Argent a cross gules". The shield is shown in a baroque cartouche.
Stanič & Jakopič [j2s05] show and describe a number of historical coats of arms of Ptuj. The town has been using a seal since the 13th century, showing St. George killing the dragon. Sometimes in the 15th century this was simplified to only show the red cross on white as the St. George's cross. Such is known from the book of Bartsch, 1587 and also in Valvasor's collection. Some variants changed the colours and since the second half of the 19th century a coat of arms "Vert a cross pattee couped gules and a mullet or in base" has became popular, even though its origin is not known.
Željko Heimer, 14 May 2006
The website of the "Slovenia Branch of the Royal Heraldry Society of Canada" hass an article (in Slovene) by Marija Hernja Masten, dated March 2005, on the seal and coat of arms of Ptuj (the latter being shown on the flag).
The 1273 seal of Ptuj is among the oldest town seals in Slovenia and
is a significant cultural, historical, artistic and legal Gothic
heritage. Use of its own seal served to demonstrate the legal status
and municipal autonomy of medieval Ptuj.
The circular seal depicts the town's patron, St. George, on a horse,
with reins in his left hand and a lance in his right, stabbing the dragon
coiled among the horse's legs, all encircled by the text + SIGILLVM ♢ CI-UITATIS ♢ DE ♢ BETOVIA.
St. George is shown as a haloed young man with curly shoulder-length
hair. He is clothed in a flapping cloak, which fills the background of
the seal. Underneath it the saint wears garments representing nobles'
holiday wear, thin-waisted and with a wide belt. His sleeves are tight
and his pants are fitted. He is wearing spurs. The depiction of the
horse and its gear is especially fine, with its harness decorated with
bells or tassels. St. George is killing a snakelike horned dragon,
whose tail terminates in a tuft of disheveled fur.
The parish church contains a c. 1380 wooden Gothic statue of the
saint, once part of the main altar. There the lithe youth stands on
the dragon, looking somewhat transfixedly into the distance, in his
right hand a spear thrust into the dragon's maw. Dressed in golden
knightly garb, there is outlined on his chest a red cross.
The sign of the cross derives from legends of the saint overcoming the temptations offered him during his martyrdom. Therefore his
iconography often shows him with cross in hand as an evangelist.
As seals and arms were already in use by town landowners, the Minorite
and Dominican monasteries and noble familes, the town was obliged to
develop recognizable arms of its own. The Ptuj arms derive from this
seal, which was from 1273 to about 1400 progressively simplified:
- 1237: St. George on horse (seal);
- 1380: St. George with red cross on breastplate (relief);
- 1486: St. George on foot (seal);
- 1551: St. George (stone arms on city gate, currently in the Mihelič gallery);
- 1555: St. George on ceremonial judicial sword;
![[Arms of Ptuj]](../images/s/si)096h.gif)
Historic arms of Ptuj - Image by Eugene Ipavec, 6 April 2009
- 1567: arms described and shown by Z. Baratsch (Steiermärkisches
Wappenbuch 1567*), as a red cross on silver;
- 1769: city arms and St. George depicted on obverse and reverse of the
flag of the city guard.
In the second half of the 19th century the then-authorities made certain modifications meant to demonstrate adherence to German Styria**, specifically a change in colors and the addition of a star.
Eugene Ipavec, 5 April 2009
* That is, "Styrian Roll of Arms". The image is captioned Der Stadt Pettau Wappen, that is, "The arms of the town of Pettau", Pettau being the German form of Ptuj.
Ivan Sache, 5 April 2009
** This sheds light on the aforementtioned "Vert a cross pattee couped gules and a mullet or in base" had became popular, even though its origin is not known." - the color green I understand had a German connotation back then. Indeed the 1918 Carinthian plebiscite was carried out with green and white papers for ballots.
Eugene Ipavec, 6 April 2009
![[Former flag of Ptuj]](../images/s/si-096o.gif)
Former flag of Ptuj - Image by Željko Heimer, 24 January 1999
According to my observations, the flag of Ptuj in the 1995s was a vertical flag with seven square tails, white, bordered red, and with the coat of arms in the lower part.
Željko Heimer, 24 January 1999
![[Former arms of Ptuj]](../images/s/si)096o.gif)
Former emblem of Ptuj - Image by Željko Heimer, 14 September 2004
According to Zalokar [zal90], the emblem used in Ptuj from the mid-1980s to the early 1990s is an hexagonal shield showing the silhouette of the old town on a honeycomb background surrounded with a wreath of wheat and vine, with a ribbon bearing the name of the community OBČINA PTUJ and a cog wheel in the middle of the waves. Atop is placed a red five-pointed star.
Željko Heimer, 14 September 2004