Last modified: 2014-05-29 by zoltán horváth
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image by Jaume Ollé, 2 November 1996
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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
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
vil.gif)
image 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
image by
Jens Pattke, 23 August 2013
Blue version
image by
Jens Pattke, 23 August 2013
Green version
image by
Jens Pattke, 23 August 2013
Red version
image by
Jens Pattke, 23 August 2013
Yellow version
Užupis is a neighborhood in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, largely
located in Vilnius' old town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Užupis means "on
the other side of the river" in the Lithuanian language and refers to the Vilnia
River. The name Vilnius was derived from the Vilnia. The district has been
popular with artists for some time, and has been compared to Montmartre in Paris
due to its bohemian atmosphere. The district houses art galleries, artists'
workshops, and popular cafés. On April Fools Day, 1997, the district declared
itself an independent republic (The Republic of Užupis), replete with an army
of 12 personnel.
Užupis is quite small and isolated, being only about 148 acres (0.60 km2) in
size. On one side it is separated from the Old Town by the Vilnia River, on the
other there are steep hills, and on the third there is an industrial area built
under the Soviet rule. The first bridges across the river were built in the 16th
century, at which time the district's inhabitants were mostly Jewish.
In 1997, the residents of the area declared a Republic of Užupis, with its own
flag, currency, president, constitution, and an army (numbering approximately 17
men). They celebrate this independence annually on Užupis Day, which falls on
April 1st. Artistic endeavours are the main preoccupation of the Republic and
indeed the current President of the Republic of Užupis, Romas Lileikis, is
himself a poet, musician, and film director. The first major initiative
undertaken by the Republic after its foundation was to build a monument for
Frank Zappa, in Vilnius.
Artūras Zuokas, a former mayor of Vilnius, lives in Užupis and frequently
takes part in the Republic's events.
It is unclear whether the statehood of the Republic, recognized by no
government, is intended to be serious, tongue-in-cheek, or a combination of
both. The decision to place Užupis Day on April 1 (April Fools' Day) may not be
coincidental.
The Constitution of the Republic of Užupis:
Everyone has the right to live by the River Vilnelė, while the River Vilnelė
has the right to flow by everyone.
Everyone has the right to hot water, heating in winter and a tiled roof.
Everyone has the right to die, but it is not a duty.
Everyone has the right to make mistakes.
Everyone has the right to individuality.
Everyone has the right to love.
Everyone has the right to be not loved, but not necessarily.
Everyone has the right not to be distinguished and famous.
Everyone has the right to be idle.
Everyone has the right to love and take care of a cat.
Everyone has the right to look after a dog till one or the other dies.
A dog has the right to be a dog.
A cat is not obliged to love its master, but it must help him in difficult
times.
Everyone has the right to sometimes be unaware of his duties.
Everyone has the right to be in doubt, but this is not a duty.
Everyone has the right to be happy.
Everyone has the right to be unhappy.
Everyone has the right to be silent.
Everyone has the right to have faith.
No one has the right to violence.
Everyone has the right to realize his negligibility and magnificence.
Everyone has the right to encroach upon eternity.
Everyone has the right to understand.
Everyone has the right to understand nothing.
Everyone has the right to be of various nationalities.
Everyone has the right to celebrate or not to celebrate his birthday.
Everyone shall remember his name.
Everyone may share what he possesses.
No-one can share what he does not possess.
Everyone has the right to have brothers, sisters and parents.
Everyone is capable of independence.
Everyone is responsible for his freedom.
Everyone has the right to cry.
Everyone has the right to be misunderstood.
No-one has the right to make another person guilty.
Everyone has the right to be personal.
Everyone has the right to have no rights.
Everyone has the right to not be afraid.
Do not defeat.
Do not fight back.
Do not surrender.
The Flag of the Republic of Užupis:
The Republic of Užupis has four official national flags. They are always white.
In the center of the cloth with a colored logo is shown. The logo is blue or red
or yellow or green. Really dominated but in the streets of Vilnius, the blue
version of the flag.
Coat of Arms
uzupis.gif)
image by
Jens Pattke, 23 August 2013
Sources:
www.fotobankas.lt/.../id/133747/search/Užupis photo)
http://www.spiegel.de/reise/staedte/0,1518,329608,00.html (in German)
Jens Pattke, 23 August 2013
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