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The coat of arms of Kłodzko depicts a white Bohemian Lion with two tails wearing golden crown on a red background. According to tradition, it was granted to the city by Premyslid King Ottokar II between sometime between 1253 and 1278. It is the oldest symbol of the city, dating back to the middle ages. We do not know the exact date, because no incorporation documents or copies thereof have been preserved.
The lion with two tails is a replica of the coat of arms of Bohemia, of which the Kłodzko Land was a part at the time. The capital of the Kłodzko Land held the statute of royal free city. Another city in the region – Bystrzyca Kłodzka – has a similar coat of arms. The earliest preserved image of the lion is on the Seal of the City of Kłodzko, which dates back to the third quarter of the 13th century.
Legends about the coat of arms
- According to the first legend, after the city was incorporated by King Ottokar II of Bohemia, the people of Kłodzko decided to travel to the royal court in Prague to ask the king for a coat of arms, which was the highest determinant of urbanity in the middle ages. The king received the messengers and decided to grant Kłodzko a coat of arms presenting a lion wearing a crown. As the stone statue of the lion was on its way to Kłodzko, an accident occurred and it fell out of the wagon. The tail broke off. The messengers travelled back to Prague and received a new statue with the coat of arms, the difference being that the sculptor made the lion with two tails this time, just in case. This time, the statue arrived in Kłodzko in one piece. Consequentially, the lion has two tails.
- The second version says that King Ottokar II gave the coat of arms with the lion to the city as thanks for its loyalty, but the court painter hurriedly painted the lion without a tail. When the painting was sent back to the king, he ordered that the lion receive two tails as compensation.
- According to the third version, the messengers from Kłodzko were attacked by highwaymen on their way back. In the ensuing battle, the tail of the stone lion inside the crate broke off. The messengers returned to the court of King Ottokar II to ask for a new coat of arms. The ruler was understanding and gave them the coat of arms, which was supposed to be placed on the Malostranska gate in Prague. And so, the city received a coat of arms with a lion wearing a crown and with a forked tail.
The coat of arms of Kłodzko, which presents a lion, was given to the city by Ottokar II of Bohemia as a gift for the strength and persistence frequently demonstrated by the city. However, the lion arrived in the city without its tail. The city requested permission for repair. The king decided that in exchange for the missing tail the lion would now have two.
The flag of Kłodzko consists of two horizontal stripes: yellow and red. It was established by the City Council in 1990 and is displayed during local celebrations and meetings with partner towns.
The current bugle call dates back to 1998 and was written by Stanisław Dąbrowski.
