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Vilnius City (Vilnius, Lithuania)

Last modified: 2024-04-06 by zachary harden
Keywords: lithuania | vilnius |
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image by Zachary Harden, 03 January 2021



See also:

Subdivisions:

  • Antakalnis
  • Fabijoniskes
  • Grigiskes
  • Justiniskes
  • Karoliniskes
  • Lazdynai
  • Naujamiestis
  • Naujininkai
  • Naujoji Vilnia
  • Paneriai
  • Pasilaiciai
  • Pilaite
  • Rasos
  • Senamiestis (Oldtown)
  • Seskine
  • Snipiskes
  • Verkiai
  • Vilkpede
  • Virsuliskes
  • Zirmunai
  • Zverynas

Overview

Above is the city flag: The Coat of Arms depicts St Christopher and Jesus (as a baby).  The city also uses a triangular pennant, red with a small yellow horizontal stripe in the middle.  On the square in front of the old Town Hall, an impressive number of flag poles all had this pennant.  On other occasions (as shown on local post cards) these are used for various rectangular flags.
One restaurant showing the city flag had a dark-red background with a bright red shield but I'm inclined to believe this was an error in manufacturing.
Festive cream-coloured hanging banners celebrating Mindaugas's coronation, 750 years ago, were to be seen in a few places.  They consisted basically of a dark, crowned capital letter "M" ; the largest I saw, a white one (in Knatterfahne fashion) flew in front of the (Catholic) Cathedral showing some additional text and accompanied by a city pennant.
In Vilnius and Kaunas, a "Nigerian" flag turned out to be that of Vilniaus Banka, the difference being the addition of the bank's name (and symbol?) in what seemed to be grey lettering... not easy to decipher.
Jan Mertens, 15 August 2003

Vilnius city casual - WRONG colour on FOTW: the main field must be purpure (dark red), not red. On purpure field with narrow yellow fess the small arms of Vilnius city: St. Christopher with infant Jesus. Flag proportions the same as of representational flag. No decorations. I have no picture, because in the book there is only the representational flag shown. Also the statement about proportions is intentionally citated: see below about ambiguity.
Virginijus Misiunas, 05 November 2009

The answer from Vilnius City municipality is very reliable and comprehensive: they've sent a copy of Vilnius City Municipal Council's 18/07/2007 act No.1-120 "About the confirmation of description of Vilnius City heraldry digital variant, arms and flag usage".
The answer is sent by Violeta Kolonaitiene, the senior specialist of Culture and art division. Also I acknowledge Vitas Karciauskas, the manager of Culture and heritage division, and Kristina Uleviciute, the director of Culture, sport and tourism department, for the care about my request.
The proportions of flag are 2:3, i.e. the description in the "Heraldry of Lithuania" book is wrong in this detail, but the picture is correct. The fess is 1/10 of height, i.e. the horizontal stripes are purpure-yellow-purpure 9-2-9. The main field shall be purpure / dark red (Pantone 188). The fess is yellow (Pantone 130). Colours of arms (Pantone): golden 123 C, yellow 1235 C, silver 427 C, red 1795 C, and codes of green and brownish (both used only on the greater arms) are not described.
The Vilnius City casual and representational flags are of the same proportions, and the same elements have the same sizes. Just the additional elements of greater arms (supporters, motto and wreath) and of representational flag itself (border, fringe, finial and bands) should be added.
So the actual picture of Vilnius City casual flag is not correct, neither the proportions not the colors. I think the flag of country capital should have a little higher priority than usual.
Virginijus Misiunas, 18 May 2010


Representational Flag


image by Virginijus Misiunas, 27 February 2010

Vilnius city representational - on a purpure (dark red) field with a narrow yellow fess the great arms of Vilnius city: St. Christopher with the infant Jesus, arms has supporters, wreath and motto. Free edges bordered with a narrow green stripe, fringe is golden, finial is a golden charge of arms on a knob and golden bands. There is a serious ambiguity about the proportions of this flag: the description says 1:2, but the picture shows 2:3.
Virginijus Misiunas, 27 February 2010


Coat of Arms


image from <Wikimedia Commons>, located by Zachary Harden, 02 April 2024

From <www.vilnius.lt>: "The Vilnius coat of arms is St. Christopher (Kristupas) wading in the water and carrying the Infant Jesus on his shoulders. The coat of arms was given to the city in the seventh year of its existence, i.e. in 1330.
In pagan times, i.e. until the end of the 14th century, the Vilnius coat of arms featured Titan Alkis, hero of Lithuanian ancient tales, carrying his wife Janteryte; on his shoulders across the river".
Jan Mertens, 23 August 2003