Valka (town)
Template:Latvia VALKA TOWN
Region : Vidzeme
Municipality : Valka
Official blazon
Zaļā laukā no labās puses mākoņa izaugoša roka bruņās tur līku zobenu ar zelta rokturi; virs rokas viena, zem rokas divas zelta piecstaru zvaigznes.
Origin/meaning
The arms were granted in 1925.
Valka is the only ancient city of Latvia, where Knights of the Teutonic Order did not build a castle. Maybe the reason is that Valka is situated in the center of former Livonia (present Latvia and Estonia). Valka is first mentioned in 1286 as Pedele town at Pedele river. In the 14th century the town is already called Valka (Walk in German).
In 1419 Valka was chosen as a site of the Landtag (Assembly) of Livonia. The Livonian war (1558-1583) destroyed the city, and it lasted only as town.
The Polish King Stephen Batory granted city rights and arms to Valka in 1584. Although "valka" means "stream" in Latvian, it was seen as German "Wolke" ("cloud"). So the arms show a cloud with armed hand, holding a saber. A hand means strength; also it could symbolize the past dependence to Knights of the Teutonic Order.
 The seal of 1580 |
When Latvia and Estonia became independent states, the ethnically mixed Valka was divided between them in 1920. The Estonian city Valga (the same name, but in Estonian) kept the old arms unchanged, and the Latvian city Valka got new arms in 1925: the same cloud with an armed hand and saber, but shown mirrored. Three stars of the National Arms were also added to show dependence to Latvia.
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© since 1995, Heraldry of the World, Ralf Hartemink 
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Literature : Latvias ģerboņi, 2008