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Rogaška Slatina (Municipality, Slovenia)

Flag of Rogaška Slatina, horizontal and vertical versions - Images by Željko Heimer, 2 July 2005

Presentation of Rogaška Slatina
Flag of Rogaška Slatina
Coat of arms of Rogaška Slatina
Former flag and arms of Rogaška Slatina

See also:

Presentation of Rogaška Slatina

The municipality of Rogaška Slatina was formed in 1995.
As the name of the place indicates it, there is a fresh water source there. slatina means (fresh water) source, and is often found in toponyms in Slavic-speaking area. The Rogaška spa is one of the most famous for its magnesium-rich mineral waters used in medical treatments.

Željko Heimer, 10 March 2000

Flag of Rogaška Slatina

In July 2002, the municipality of Rogaška Slatina adopted completely new symbols, which superseded the former ones.
According to the webmaster of the municipal website, the 1:3 proportions of the new symbols were soon changed to 2:5, but no Decision on that was published, apparently. However, the website contains the files with detailed construction sheets that already show the proportions 2:5.

The flag and coat of arms of Rogaška Slatina (municipal website) are prescribed by Decision Odlok o spremembah in dopolnitvah odloka o obliki in načinu uporabe simbolov ter pečatov Občine Rogaška Slatina, adopted on 26 June 2002, and published in the official Slovene gazette Uradni list Republike Slovenije, 61/2002.

The flag is in proportions 1:3, with a green square field at hoist with the white Pegasus from the coat of arms and the fly part consisting of seven green and white stripes.
The design of the new symbols result from a public contest, opened in 2001. There were 21 entrants. The winning design was made by Andreja Straža Lotrič, an architect from Ljubljana. The new symbols were ceremonially presented in public on the municipal day, 26 July 2002.

The flag respects the two-coloured principle "prescribed" for the municipal flags [there is no such regulation requiring this, only guidelines by Valt Jurečičc and the fact that many current Slovenian municipal flags do respect it indeed. The other principles listed below are equally "arbitrary" in this sense.]
The flag respects the "principle" that the main colour of the coat of arms is the main colour of the flag while the secondary colour of the coat of arms is the secondary colour of the flag.
The division of the flag field into rectangles and stripes is in accordance with the "principles" of vexillology.
The attribute is set in the first field of the flag following the "principles" of the municipal flags - that is it is self-standing in the flag and without the shield of the arms. Due to all above the flag could be blazoned.
The proposed flag is with it geometrical pattern and colour combination unique among the Slovenian local flags, allowing easy identification.

The flag differs for vertical and horizontal use.
The flag colours are specified as:
- Green: Pantone 348c;
- White;
- Black.

Željko Heimer & Marjan Čuješ, 2 July 2005

Coat of arms of Rogaška Slatina

Coat of arms of Rogaška Slatina - Image by Željko Heimer, 9 March 2004

The new coat of arms of Rogaška Slatina is: Vert a Pegasus argent rampant.

Pegasus is connected with the local history, with the legend on the formation of the Rogaška well. In Greek mythology, Pegasus is also associated with water cults.
The legend is written and pictured on a copper plate engraving in the German book Roitschocrene, published in 1687 by Johan Benedict Gründl. God Appolo called upon Pegasus to hit with its hoof on the place shown in the engraving between Rogatec and the church of St. Cross, and so to strike open Roitschocrene, the Rogaška well, just as in the Greek mythology was opened the well Hippocrene (hippos means horse).
This book is the first scientific monography on the Rogaška mineral water, influenced by the then popular balneologic science, and following the success of the physicians in Vienna and in Styria sucessfully selling the water, including to the Vienna court and the entire Empire as well as in the Germany, Italy and Poland.
At the same time there was a rise of interest in the Greek mythology, and Rogaška water was thus also connected with Pegasus.

Željko Heimer & Marjan Čuješ, 9 March 2004

Former symbols of Rogaška Slatina

Former flag, in its three prescribed ratios, and arms of Rogaška Slatina - Images by Željko Heimer, 2 July 2005

The former flag and coat of arms of Rogaška Slatina are prescribed by Decision Odlok o obliki in načinu uporabe simbolov ter pečatov Občine Rogaška Slatina, adopted on 25 October 1995, signed 10 November 1995, and published in the official Slovene gazette Uradni list Republike Slovenije, 11/1996, on 23 February 1996.

Oddly enough, the Decision does not describe the layout of the flag, only the position of the coat of arms in three official flag proportions. The flag field is not described. Moreover, according to the Decision, the initials above the shield should be golden, but in practice, it seems that they were used mainly in green. It may be that there was some other act determining the coat of arms and the flag, possibly the Municipal Statute.
The flag is prescribed in three official proportions - 1:2, 1:3 and 1:4. In all three cases the coat of arms is included offset towards hoist and perpendicularly set to the longest side (i.e., length). The hoist offset from the mid-axis is 1/4, 1/2 and 3/4 of the coat of arms width for the three official ratios, respectively. The coat of arms height is prescribed 1/2 of the hoist size.
Only the green shade is prescribed in the Decision, as KS 53 K.

The coat of arms, referring to the sparkling water, can be tentatively blazoned as "Vert, semy of disks or, decreasing in size from base to chief".
Above the shield is a golden cypher made of the municipality initials "RS".
The coat of arms (without the cypher) was designed during a students' workshop directed by Ranko Novak, professor at the Design Department of the Academy of Fine Arts in Ljubljana.

Željko Heimer , 14 September 2003