Trakai (Vilnius, Lithuania) (original) (raw)

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Troki

image by Anon., 26 February 2010

Overview
Previously Reported Flag
Coat of Arms

See also:

Overview

This flag-like image is in a Polish website, which uses 'herb' (CoA) for it at <www.malbork.pl>. To me it looks like a banner of Arms. Trakai is the center of a rayon, with 7200 inhabitants, some 30 km west of Vilnius. It was the old capital of the Lithuanian Empire and seat of the Grandprince. The foundation date is unknown, but it was already the center of the Trakaian Principality in the 12/13th century - that is: Old Trakai (Lit. Senieji Trakai). New Trakai (Lit. Naujieji Trakai was built c. 1323 , 4 Km to the north. It played an important part in the battles of the Lithuanians against the teutonic Order. Part of the city is occupied by descendants of Karaites (Lit. Karaimai), who settled here on the invitation of Grandprince Vytautas in the 14th century from the Crimean Peninsula, to become his palace guard, together with Tartars. They became famous vegetable-growers. The Karaites adhere to a Jewish sect, which does not recognize the 'oral Thora', that is the Rabbinic doctrine; they only live by Old Testamentic rules. It was formed at the end of the 8th century AD in the Persian part of the Khaliph's Empire under Anan ben David and they called themself 'Ananites'; later they were named 'Karaites' (Hebrew: People of the Scripture). In the 11th century ther were hard-pressed by the Jews and fled to Constantinople, from where they spread around the Black Sea to the Crimea. Karaites can also be found in Panevezys, Lithuania. To this day they exist in Israel, Egypt and Lithuania.
Source: Baedekers 'Baltikum' (1994)
Jarig Bakker, 12 September 2000

The name "Troki" is a Polish variant of the origina Lithuanian name "Trakai".
Virginijus Misiunas, 15 May 2001

The flag and the coat of arms of Trakai city (Vilnius county, Trakai district - Vilniaus apskritis, Traku rajonas). The flag is drawn by me according to my personal observation. The coat of arms I drew according to the picture from the book: The Heraldry of Lithuania. There is different flag and coat of arms for Trakai district - a warrior in silver armour, holding a silver lance with a golden point in his right hand, and leaning with his left on a golden framed red shield bearing golden Columns of the Gediminas family, on a field of red.
Anon., 4 July 2003

Trakai - On a blue field with a white cross the arms of Trakai: John the Baptist's head. Flag proportions 5:6, free edges bordered with a narrow silver stripe, fringe is golden, finial is a golden knob with two rings, staff is dark grey. The exact time of the granting of arms is not known, but they were obviously granted by Grand Duke Vytautas the Great (also Duke of Trakai) between 1398 and 1430, the most probable date is considered 1409. The arms should symbolize Christianization and Vytautas as the most meritorious baptist of Lithuania. By the way, he didn't pretend to be the first one, as Jogaila baptised Lithuania already, but most of early parishes (till mid 15th century) were established by Vytautas.
Anon., 26 February 2010

Previously Reported Flag

image by Anon., 4 July 2003

Coat of Arms

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image by Anon., 4 July 2003