Brtnice

BRTNICE

Province: Vysočina Kraj
District (Okres) : Jihlava

Official blazon

Czech	Dělený štít, nahoře ve zlato-modře polceném poli dva přivrácení lvi opačných barev s červenou zbrojí držící mezi sebou červenou useň. V dolním modrém poli nad stříbrno-modře třikrát vlnitě dělenou patou stříbrný most se dvěma oblouky, přiléhající k dělící linii.
English	blazon wanted

Origin/meaning

The arms were registered on March 27, 2000.

Although Brtnice possessed its rights as a borough as early as the 12th century, it never had any arms and used only a seal depicting Queen Constance, the spouse of King Premysl Ottokar I, see images below. Only in 1977 did the Town Council decide to acquire proper arms. The arms were adopted by the council in 1977, and officially registered in the State Heraldic Register in 2000.

The arms show the local medieval bridge, a much shorter replica of the famous Charles Bridge in Prague, the statues being omitted in the arms, and standing on it are two lions supporting a hide which represents the tanning industry. The lions are taken from the arms of the Lords Brtnicky of Waldstein who built a huge castle dominating the town and held it until Zdenek Lord Brtnicky of Waldstein lost it after the Battle of the White Mountain in 1620.

The seal from the 14th century (from Dřímal and Štarha, 1979)

The seal from the 18th century (from Dřímal and Štarha, 1979)

Literature: Image obtained from here.