Coat-of-arms
of
Republic of Croatia

Grb
Republike Hrvatske

Coat-of-arms of Republic of Croatia consist of red-silver checkered shield. Above the shield there is a crown consisting of five coats-of-arms: 1. on a blue field golden six-pointed star over a silver crescent, 2. two red horizontal bar on a blue field, 3. three golden leopards heads ( 2-1 ), 4. on a blue field a silver goat with red horns, 5. a blue red blue field divided by two silver horizontal bars, in upper blue field a golden six-pointed star, in a red field a black marten running to the right.

Grb Republike Hrvatske sastoji se od crveno-srebrno šahiranog štita. Iznad štita je kruna koja se sastoji od pet grbova: 1. na plavom štitu zlatna šesterokraka zvijezda iznad srebrnog polumjeseca, 2. dvije crvene horizontalne grede na plavom polju, 3. tri okrunjene zlatne leopardove glave (2-1) na plavom, 4. na plavom štitu koza sa crvenim rogovima i kopitima, 5. plavi štit sa crvenom gredom obrubljenom bijelim valivitim linijama, na gredi crna kuna u trku prema desno, isnad grede zlatna šesterokraka zvijezda.

Checkered silver and red field is ancient symbol of Croatian rulers, dating at least from 10th cent. "Chessfield" was used throughout the history as a symbol of Croatia. The number of squares varied from 8x8 to 3x3, but most commonly was 5x5.

Šahirano crveno-srebrno polje je pradavni simbol hrvatskih kraljeva, koji se može pratiti barem od X. stoljeća. "Šahovnica" je kroz povijest korištena kao simbol Hrvatske. Broj polja je verirao od 8×8 do 3×3, ali najčešći je 5×5.

Most ancient symbols of star and crescent were used even in preheraldic period by Croatian nobles, especially on coins. This symbols were extensively used in 19th century by reformathors of national movement. The star is supposed to be Eveningstar - Venus (or Morning-star as called by Croatians).

Najstariji hrvatski simbol su zvijezda i polumjesec, koji su se koristili i u predheraldičkom periodu, osobito na kovanicama. Ovaj simbol je osobito često korišten u XIX. stoljeću u Narodnom preporodu. Zvijezda predstavlja zvijezdu Danicu (odnosno planet Veneru).

Republic of Ragusa (Dubrovnik) was given the coat-of-arms by Croatian and Hungarian king Louis I of Arpad dinasty, and it was the old Arpad family coat: four red bars in an oval field, in 14th cent. Dubrovnik was later given different coats-of-arms and the use of each was due to the political situation. Most common was a shield with the word LIBERTAS, even nowdays on a flag of Dubrovnik. Occasionally the coat with phoenix was used and also with st. Blasius. Somewhere it is possible to find a coat with white shield and three diagonal bars, never used.

Dubrovačka Republika je dobila grb u XIV. st. od Hrvatsko-ugarskog kralja Ljudevita I Arpadovića, i to je ustvari bio stari grb obitelji Arpadović: četiri grede u ovalnom polju. Dubrovnik je kasnije dobio i druge grbove, a korištenje je ovisilo o trenutnoj političkoj situaciji. Najčešći je štit s riječi LIBERTAS, koji se i danas može vidjeti na zastavi grada. Kroz povijest korišteni su i grbovi koji su prikazivali pticu feniks ili Sv. Vlaha. U određenim izvorima pojavljuje se grb sa srebrnim poljem na koje su tri kose grede, koji nikada nije korišten.

The coat-of-arms of Dalmatia is dating from sometime in 13th cent. The three leopards heads are probably coming from Anjoux kings, and it was also used from time to time as a sign of whole Croatia.

Dalmatinski grb datira se otprilike u XIII stoljeće. Tri leopardove glave najvjerojatnije potjeću iz grbova Anžuvinskih kraljeva, a povremeno je taj grb korišten kao grb cijele Hrvatske.

The goat was a symbol of Istria even in Roman period. Heraldically it was used as early as 11th cent.

Koza je bila simbol Istre još u rimskom periodu. U heraldici se koristi barem od XXI. stoljeća.

Slavonia, eastern part of Croatia have the coat-of-arms that was given to it by king Vladislav II Jagelovic in 1496. The two horizontal bars represent a two rivers Sava and Drava that are on south and north borders of Slavonia. On the top is a star, this time representing Mars. The marten, small animal of the weasel family walks to the (heraldic) right. The marten was a symbol of Slavonia even before. The animal was respected for its fur, which acted a money in early middle age. Late on it was used on the coins from 13th cent. over. After the declaration of independence Croatia again uses "kuna" - marten, as a name for its currency. The coat-of -arms of Slavonia has been used occasionally as a coat of whole Croatia.

Slavonija, istočni dio Hrvatske, ima grb koji joj je podijelio kralj Vladislav II Jagelović 1496. godine. Dvije srebrne valovite niti predstavljaju rijeke Dravu i Savu, koje se nalaze na sjevernoj i južnoj granici Slavonije. Zvijezda na vrhu ovdje pretstavlja planet Mars. Kuna, životinja iz porodice lasica, koristila se kao sredstvo plačanja u ranom srednjem vijeku. Od XIII. stoljeća je korištena na kovanicama. Nakon proglašenja nezavisnosti, Hrvatska opet koristi kunu kao ime svoje novčane jedinice. Slavonski grb je povremeno bio korišten kao grb čitave Hrvatske.

I have been using different sources to draw this coat-of-arms, mostly from different official documents of Republic of Croatia. For the explanation of contest of coats I've been using a very concise book of Marijan Grakalic: "Hrvatski grb", Nakladni zavod Matice Hrvatske, Zagreb 1990.

Za prikaz grba koristio sam razne izvore, uglavnom službene dokumente Republike Hrvatske. Za objašnjenje sadržaja grb korištio sam vrlo temeljitu knjigu Marijana Grakalića: "Hrvatski grb", NZMH, Zagreb, 1990.

Recently I found that the image presented here is not accurate in some minor details. I hope I'll correct it - when I get some time.

Nedavno sam primjetio da slika koja je predstavljena ovdje nije precizna u nakim manjim detaljima. Nadam se da ću to ispraviti - čim stignem.