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Latvijas Pilsetu Gerboni
Latvian Civic Heraldry

VALMIERA

Origin/meaning :
Valmiera was a settlement and castle in the Talava land of Latgali (Latvian tribe).
The city name comes from Volodimier Mstislavovich, prince of Novgorod in the beginning of 13th century.
In 1283 Knights of the Teutonic Order built a castle and church in Valmiera (called then Wolmar in German), which was the rather large town yet.
In 1325 city rights and arms were granted (in 1323, my sources say). The arms were a linden tree and two shields with crosses of the Teutonic Order.


The seal of 1524

The Swedish King gifted Valmiera to his favorite Axel Oxensern. His family arms showed calf's vertex with horns ("ox" means "calf" in Swedish). So the arms were modified and showed a linden tree, growing on the calf's vertex.


The seal of 1788

In 1783 city rights were granted again.
After the independence of Latvia two shields were added, according to the first arms, but in colours of the National Flag.
The new arms were confirmed in 1925.

Literature : scan from a poster (Latvijas Pilsetu Gerboni); Purens : Latvijas gerbonu gramata (translated by Virginijus Misiunas, Vilnius)


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