Kretinga

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KRETINGA

County : Klaipėda

Arms of Kretinga
Official blazon
Lithuanian blazon wanted
English blazon wanted

Origin/meaning

The arms were granted on June 12, 1993.

Kretinga received town rights in 1609 from Joannes Carolus Chodkiewics and was renamed Karolstad. At the same day the arms were granted, showing the St. Mary with Child. The St. Mary is the patron saint of the city and at the time also of the powerful Franciscan monastery in the city.

In 1621 Kretinga became a possession of the Sapieha family, who replaced the arms with an image of St. Casimir surrounded by roses. The saint was most likely chosen as the patron saint of Casimirus Sapieha. The arms remained in use until the late 18th century.

In the early 20th century both old arms were forgotten, and the new arms showed a lion. The lion was derived from the arms of the Chokiewics family. Actually the family arms showed a griffin, not a lion. In 1970 the city adopte dnew arms, showing the griffin holding a sword. These arms however were banned in the same year.

Kreting2.jpg

The arms from 1970

After the independence of Lithuania it was decided to use the oldest known arms again.


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