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Prague capital, Czech Republic, symbols

Hlavní mesto Praha

Last modified: 2002-04-20 by jarig bakker
Keywords: czech republic | kraj | praha |
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Flag of Praha

[Flag of Praha] by Jan Kravčik, 10 July 2000.

The flag (see also Prague city) is a simple derivation of the Coat of Arms. When hoisted vertically, the yellow stripe must be on the left side of the viewer (right side in heraldic sense).
Jan Kravčik, 10 July 2000.

Hlavní město Praha CoA

[hl. m. Praha CoA] from this site, reported by Jarig Bakker, 30 June 2000

The Coat of Arms and the Flag of the Capital of Prague.

Until 1784 when the four Prague cities were united (Staré Mesto, Nové Mesto, Hradčany and Malá Strana), each of them used it's own coat of arms. United Prague adopted the coat of arms of Staré Mesto as the seat of the Magistrate. Through the years it was changed a bit. After 1918, after a long discussions a new design of the arms agreed upon. It was modified in 1964. The present form is from 1991.

Coat of Arms

In the middle of the CoA is a red shield depicting a golden wall with open gate. In the gate is an arm armed in silver and holding a silver sword. The three golden towers made of bricks are raised from the wall. The amount of the bricks is equal to the amount of Prague districts. This shield can be used alone as a small CoA of Prague. There are three helmets on the shield; the central one carries a two-tailed (Czech) lion rampant with the golden crown. Each of the edge helmets holds 12 flags of the cities or districts that make up Greater Prague and have got a historical flag. (Quite important because nowadays every Prague district has got its flag and CoA).
From the (heraldic) right side towards the center it is: Nové Město, Hradčany, Vyšehrad, Libeň, Bubeneč, Košíře, Smíchov, Vršovice, Žižkov, Uhříněvěs, Horní Počernice and Zbraslav.
From the (heraldic) left side towards the center it is: Staré Město, Malá Strana, Josefov, Holešovice-Bubny, Břevnov, Karlín, Nusle, Královské Vinohrady, Vysočany, Modřany, Radotín, Dubeč.
The whole composition is carried by two double-tailed (Czech) lions with the golden crown. The lions are standing on a lime-tree branch. The slogan is PRAGA CAPUT REI PUBLICAE - Prague Capital of the Republic - (in the past it used to be PRAGA CAPUT REGNI  - Prague Capital of the Realm - as is depicted on the Prague Town Hall building).
Author of the COA is Karel Pánek.

During the Socialist era the amount of flags was 18 (9 on the each side), the „main" lion was taken from the socialist COA of Czechoslovakia and the slogan was PRAHA MATKA MEST (PRAGA MATER URBIUM - Prague Mother of Cities).
Translated and adapted from this site by Jan Kravčik, 10 July 2000.

No regions ("kraj") and no district ("okres") have their own COAs and flags. The only exception is the region-city of Prague - the city COA and flag are (unofficially) also regional.
Jan Zrzavy, 1 July 2000.