Territorial Heraldry

Municipality of Prijepolje

Zlatibor District, Region of Šumadija and Western Serbia

Coat of arms with heraldic irregularities Prikaži on the map

Bearer: Municipality of Prijepolje
Adopted: February 2016; final drawing April 2016.
Proposal: Serbian Heraldry Society
District: Zlatibor District
Region: Region of Šumadija and Western Serbia
Eparchy: Eparchy of Mileševa
Official website: prijepolje.ls.gov.rs

In February 2016 the Municipal Assembly of Prijepolje adopted new arms, produced to a proposal by the Serbian Heraldry Society, replacing the previous arms with the White Angels as supporters. The new arms were intended to show both the Serbian and the Bosniak heritage of the municipality in a single device.

The first drawing, in which part of the wings and a hand of the White Angel were cut off so that it would fit between the two towers, drew sharp criticism, and so in April 2016 the final drawing was adopted, in which the angel has its wings whole.

Blazon

Shield

A shield divided horizontally, and the upper half vertically as well: in the first, red field a gold double-headed eagle within a gold ring; in the second, silver field a blue polystaurion; in the lower, blue field a white house with a red roof, accompanied on the dexter by a gold lily and on the sinister by a silver crescent.

Crown

A silver mural crown, taken from the earlier arms, and above it the White Angel of Mileševa with a sceptre in his hand.

External ornaments

Instead of supporters, to the dexter of the shield a bell tower with the arms of Serbia, and to the sinister a clock tower with the Bosniak arms. Behind the towers two flags: on the dexter the flag of Serbia, on the sinister the flag of the municipality, which repeats the field of the shield.

Compartment

A green hill overgrown with firs, with the seal of Saint Sava and the inscription “СВА” in the centre.

Ribbon

A ribbon with the inscription “Пријепоље – Prijepolje” and the year 1343 at both ends.

Symbolism and meaning

The gold double-headed eagle on red and the blue polystaurion, the cross pattern seen on the vestments of Saint Sava, represent the Serbian heritage, while the gold lily and the silver crescent come from the Bosniak arms, which also stand on the clock tower. The bell tower and the clock tower replaced the earlier supporters, and the White Angel of Mileševa rises above the mural crown.

Earlier insignia

until 2016Coat of arms by the Serbian Heraldry Society
Arms in three levels — lesser, middle and greater — and a banner, produced by the Serbian Heraldry Society; according to the society's list the author is Dragomir Acović. The quartered shield alternated red fields with silver double-headed eagles and blue fields with gold crowns, and was divided by a silver bar and upright gold wavy bands. In the greater arms the shield was supported by two seated angels modelled on the White Angel of Mileševa, and at the foot was a mountain with the seal of Saint Sava and the year 1332.
February 2016First drawing of the new arms
The Municipal Assembly adopts the new arms. In the first drawing part of the wings and a hand of the White Angel are cut off, which is criticised from the heraldic as well as the religious and artistic standpoint.
April 2016Final drawing
The final drawing of the arms was adopted, in which the White Angel has complete wings.