This page is part of © FOTW Flags Of The World website

Vilnius City (Vilnius, Lithuania)

Last modified: 2004-03-06 by dov gutterman
Keywords: lithuania | vilnius |
Links: FOTW homepage | search | disclaimer and copyright | write us | mirrors




by Jaume Ollé, 2 November 1996



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

Other Sites:


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


Coat of Arms


from <www.vilnius.lt>, located by Jan Mertens, 23 August 2003

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