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Finnmark (Norway)

Last modified: 2020-02-15 by christopher oehler
Keywords: finnmark | castle |
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Flag of Finnmark image by Željko Heimer


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Description of the flag

The position of Finnmark as a border province is marked in the flag of the modern day county of Finnmark: A yellow castle on a field of black. The castle represents the fortifications at Vardø built under king Haakon V (king of Norway from 1299 to 1319, he also built Akershus in Oslo).

I do not claim that the proportions are totally correct. As always with the flags of Norwegian counties and municipalities, the flag is based on the arms.
Jan Oskar Engene, 16 November 1995


From Norske Kommunevåpen (Oslo 1987, Kommunalforlaget AS), I found out that the castle is not only the symbol of the castle at Vardø, but also symbol of resurrection of Finnmark after World War II, when it was totally destroyed in battles among the German and Red army.

The windows of the castle are somewhat different: they are Or, outlined Sable, and the shape is more arrow-like.
Željko Heimer, 17 November 1995


Status of the flag

From Norske Kommunevåpen (Oslo 1987, Kommunalforlaget AS), I found out that the coat of arms of Finnmark was accepted by king's resolution 6th January 1967, and I suppose the flag also. The designer was Hallvard Trætteberg.
Željko Heimer, 17 November 1995

In 2017 the government decided to abolish some counties and to merge them with other counties to form larger ones, reducing the number of counties from 19 to 11, to be implemented from 2020.:"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Counties_of_Norway
Finnmark and Troms will go forward as Troms og Finnmark.
Valentin Poposki, 16 January 2020