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Dubrovnik-Neretva (Croatia)

Dubrovacko-neretvanska zupanija

by Zeljko Heimer

Flag of Dubrovnik-Neretva county
Metkovic

See also:

Croatia
Republic of Dubrovnik/Ragusa
collection of Croatian local flags at the FAME.

Flag of Dubrovnik-Neretva county

Dubrovacko-Neretvanska zupanija - Southernmost county including its capital Dubrovnik, and the parts around it in a part of Croatia that has no land connection with the rest of it, because of 4 km long B&H; coast around Neum; and the part north of it, around river Neretva (called Narent in old texts), including port of Ploce - with strategic importance to B&H; convois.

The flag of the county was briefly shown, but here is the description: horisonatlly devided red over white with coat of arms of the county: quatered, 1st and 4th Dubrovnik - Barry Gules and Argent, 2nd Neretva - Trupica (kind of kayak) Argent on Azure, 3rd Korcula - Azure, tower with entrance Argent.

The actual flag that was showed was vertically hoisted, so the shield was rotated 90 degrees.

Zeljko Heimer 13-MAY-1996

Metkovic

by Zeljko Heimer

I found in a local informative-economical newspapers 'Dolina Neretve' (the valey of Neretva), montly issued in Metkovic and surrounding this article:

Metkovic gets the arms and the flag

On the lattest session of the City council of Metkovic, councilers have accepted (third time now) the proposals for the arms and the flag presented by the academic painter Nikola Vockovic. He got the job by the City Government to make the solution for the arms. The former two proposals were accepted by the City Council, but was rejected by the commision of the Ministry of Administration, because of the dischord with the rules of heraldics: This time the proposal got the green light from the commision before it was put in the agenda of the City Council session. This arms are historically based on the arms of Neretva (Narenta) which is discribed in 'Put oko svijeta' [A voyage around the world, ZH] (ca. 1330 AD) by the anonimous spanish friar. The new arms could be described as halfcircled quadratic shield with 1st and 4th field blue, and 2nd and 3rd silver, i.e. white. The arms is outlined with black bordure. The flag is red, horisontally hoisted, and has just the arms on it.

Together with the article there is an image of the new arms.

When was the last session, I don't know, but the newspapers are dated 15 May 1996.

There is one striking thing that has to be noticed here - the commision in the Ministry that could refuse the proposal. So, someone is taking care about this. What were the previous proposals, I have no idea, as much as what was the old arms refered by the spanish friar. Anyway, this one looks really good, of course, if you jump over the fact that there is a black bordure by the blue field, braking the tincture rule. But, the tincture rule was never very much followed in this part of the world (cf. Hungarian heraldry or the arms of Albania or Shubic family).

Metkovic (with acute on the 'c') is a city on the river Neretva on the border with B&H.; During the Austro-Hungarian rule, it was a very important port and a trade point, and since recently this importance was renewed, being the bordertown on the main road from the coast into B&H.;

Zeljko Heimer 12-AUG-1996