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Kotoriba (Medjimurje, Croatia)

Općina Kotoriba

image by Željko Heimer, 11 September 2007

Overview
Coat of Arms
Previous Coat of Arms

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Collection of Croatian Local Flags at FAME

Overview

Kotoriba is a small town with about 3,500 inhabtants, the community totaling to a bit more then 6,000, situated in the far east of the County, near the mouth of the river Mura into Drava, on a railroad connecting Ptuj in Slovenia (with connection furtehr towards Maribor and Ljubljana) through Cakovec to Nagykanizsa in Hungary and further to Budapest. In the 18th century this was among the bigegst places in Medimurje, counting over 1000 inhabitants, developed from a 16th century fort established by Zrinski family as a defence against Truks.
Kotoriba was using in mid-1990's a coat-of-arms-like emblem consisting of a shield shwing the local church and in chief inscribed the name of the community. The shield is set in an abstract floral ornament and topped with the coat of arms of Croatia (in the representations this was simplified by removing all details from the crest-crown). The church is built 1768-1784 and dedicated to "Seven sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Cross" (Sedam žalosti Blažene Djevice Marije i svetog Križa).
From correspondence I had with the community (though <www.kotoriba.hr> in late 1990's) they were already concious that this was no proper emblem, and in May 1999 there was issued a public concourse for the new coat of arms and the flag. However, it seems that as yet it produced nothing, though the 1990's emblem seems not to be used anymore.
Željko Heimer, 7 Febuary 2004

On one of the last days (date to me unknown yet) the community of Kotoriba in the Medimurje County finally adopted its new symbols and their first public display and the ceremony of consacration shall be held in Friday, 14th September in the local church, as is reported on the Kotoriba web site.
The drawings of the coat of arms and the flag are available on the site, as well as images of several variants of this final design. The local community bulletin is also available on line containing an article about the new symbols.
The coat of arms of Kotoriba is: vert from a base wavy argent issuan a wooden fort proper. This is depiction of the wooden fortification of Kotori, built in 17th century by Zrinski's of Cakovec for protection against Turkish raids and where Petar Zrinski won a victory in 1646 while the remaining Turks drowned retreating in the river Mura. The fort was made of wooden beams of square layout and with circular bastions in the corners and there was a wooden house in the middle for about hundred soldiers stationed there. (see also 17th centruy military map of Kotoriba). With the retreat of the Turkish threat in 18th century, the fort was abandoned and soon perished (wooden trunks are occasionally dug up from people's back yards, though), however the merchant city around it (gained merchant rights in 1715) continued to flourish.
The flag is blue with the coat of arms bordered yellow set in the middle. The blue colour of the flag (just as the white wavy base) is chosen to represent rivers Mura and Drava - Kotoriba being at the confluence of those two having crucial impact on the life in the community.
According to design style, this surely looks like the artwork of Herladik-art d.o.o. of Rijeka, and if so we may also expect a ceremonial flag, as well.
Željko Heimer, 11 September 2007

The symbols were designed by the Heraldic Art d.o.o. from Rijeka.
Željko Heimer, 3 November 2007

I have taken a look at the newly issued official gazettes in the Medimurje county <www.glasila.hr> and I report here some news:
The decision: Odluka o grbu i zastavi Opcine Kotoriba, 18.12.2007, Službeni glasnik Medimurske županije, br. 13/07, 20.12.2007, formally adopts the symbols decided upon in September 2007 (when they were also consecrated).
Željko Heimer, 24 March 2008

Coat of Arms

image by Željko Heimer, 11 September 2007

Previous Coat of Arms

image by Željko Heimer, 7 Febuary 2004