City of Subotica
North Bačka District, Region of Vojvodina
- Bearer
- City of Subotica
- Adopted
- 1 September 1779 (grant of arms); 7 June 2002 (flag)
- Decision
- Statute of the Municipality of Subotica (“Službeni list opštine Subotica”, no. 19/2002)
- District
- North Bačka District
- Region
- Region of Vojvodina
- Eparchy
- Eparchy of Bačka
- Official website
- subotica.rs
The City of Subotica uses historical arms in two levels, the lesser arms (shield) and the middle arms in the form of a circular seal, as well as a flag. The arms date from 1 September 1779, when Subotica, under the name Maria Theresiopolis, gained the status of a free royal city. The flag is prescribed by the Statute of 7 June 2002: white and light blue, with the arms in the centre and the unusual proportion 23:34.
Blazon
A shield divided horizontally: in the upper, blue field the Mother of God sits in a red robe with the Infant Jesus on her lap, in a gold radiance, and facing them stands Saint Teresa in Carmelite dress, stretching out her hands towards them; in the lower, red field a gold lion rampant holds above its head a curved silver sabre with a gold hilt.
The shield, with golden baroque ornament, is crowned with a golden leafed crown.
In the middle arms the crowned shield is set in a circular seal with the inscription “SIGILLUM LIBERAE ET REGIAE CIVITATIS MARIA THERESIOPOLIS”.
The flag is divided horizontally into a white and a light blue field, with the arms in the centre. The prescribed dimensions are 92 × 136 cm (proportion 23:34), with a yellow fringe 45 mm wide on three sides, and the lance is 255 cm long, with a leaf-shaped head 37 cm long.
Symbolism and meaning
The upper half of the shield refers to the name the city received in 1779, Maria Theresiopolis, and the lower half, with the lion and sabre, is taken from the arms of the Banat of Temeswar.
