Last modified: 2005-05-28 by dov gutterman
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by Željko Heimer, 4 May 2005
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Rab is a city on an island of the same name near the coast
beneath Velebit mountain range some 60 km south of Rijeka. City
has about 10000 inhabitants. It is known in Italian as Arbe, a
name originating from ancient Roman times when the city was
established, when it was known as Felix Arba. The attribute Felix
was given to cities in Roman times as especial gratitude.
The traditional coat of arms used since Middle Age contains
representation of St. Christopher. He is shown as crossing a
river carrying an infant - Baby Jesus, and in his right hand a
staff with branched end. A crescen and mullet also appear
regularly. In a coat of arms redention used nowdays, a slihuete
of the city is also shown with characteristic four bellfrys. The
shield is crowned and within a wreath with white and blue ribbon
inscribed "Felix Arba".
A modernized version of the Coat of Arms is shown in [osg02] (prepaired presumably by
Heraldic-art d.o.o. from Rijeka, responsible also for many other
modern Coat of Arms in the region). It is noted in the book,
though, that this version is not (yet?) used, and that the
traditional version is still in use. (It is not clear weather
this means that the design is adopted in city assembly but for
some reason not used or what, and it is not clear if the Ministry
approved it etc.)
The modern design is surely accompanied with a (monocoloured?)
flag but we shall need more info about it - and if the Coat of
Arms is not used that the flag is also not used. The ribbon in
the Coat of Arms suggest that a
bicolour flag might have been used traditionally. In Rab are
organized traditionally a chivalry games (most well known for
cross- bow competitions) that suirely would include lot of
flagging, but I have no detailed information.
Sources: [osg02]
Oštric Goroslav: Monumenta heraldica, izbor iz heraldicke
baštine primorsko-goranske županije, Pomorski i
povijesni muzej Hrvatskog primorja Rijeke, 2002. Croatia Tourist
Guide, Leksikografski zavod Miroslav Krleža, Zagreb, 2000.
Željko Heimer, 29 June 2003
In all issues of the official gazette from 1993 (i.e. the
first number) until August 2003 there is not a single act
regarding the symbols of Rab. As we know from other sources Rab
uses a traditional Coat of Arms, and a porposed modernization is
"in circulation" but no decision was made, apparently.
The white and light blue ribbon in the traditional Coat of Arms
certainly refer to the flag of San Marino.
Namely the saint that established this republic was born in Rab -
and his tradition is still well respected there.
Željko Heimer, 19 August 2003
Until now I had no info on the flag, but today on the TV in a programe reporting somethin