Evolution of the Český Krumlov Emblem

1. The oldest known form of the Český Krumlov emblem can be find in a seal from 1336. On the emblem there are three towers with a wall and gate painted; on the top of the middle tower there is a little crown.

2. The seal from 1406 had a slightly richer painting of the wall with an open gate with double wings and lifted bars; on both sides of the gate are two rounded towers with a window, battlements, bayes and a conic roof with cupola. On the wall above the gate there are two small five-petalled roses and little windows. Between the towers there is a little Gothic coat-of-arms with the Rosenberg rose sloping to the right.

3. The seal from 1443 develops a similar painting. From the front wall there is a gate with battlements and half-lifted bars approaching. Two towers behind the wall have battlements and a hipped roof. In the little coat-of-arms above the gate between the towers is the Rosenberg rose.

4. By the end of 1480 the Krumlovian burghers received confirmation of the emblem which had gradually been improved and multiplied. This modified emblem is painted in the book of privilege transcripts from 1593. In the blue coat-of-arms there is a wall with gate with lifted bars, on the sides of the gate are four-corner towers (with two visible sides) with little windows, battlements and hipped roof. The architecture is painted in silver colour, roofs are red and bars in gate have black iron spikes. Above the gate we can find a red five-petalled rose with a golden centre. Above the coat-of-arms there is a helmet with silver-red covers. In the jewel is a red rose again with a golden centre.

5.The last modification of the emblem of Český Krumlov was made by privilege of Johann Christian I von Eggenberg on 15th April 1671. Together with confirmation of town privileges, the emblem of the town was modified - roses were replaced by small Eggenberg coat-of-arms with three rooks, who hold the Rosenberg rose in their beaks. The emblem has been used in this form up till now.

Description of the emblem: in a blue coat-of-arms is a silver wall with an open gate and lifted brown wood bars with black metal spikes. On both sides of the gate, above the wall, there are two silver towers with two visible sides. In each tower there is a narrow, high window. On the top of the towers is a red roof. Between them is a little silver coat-of-arms with three black rooks with open wings. They are directed towards the centre and they hold the red Rosenberg rose with golden centre and green calyx leaves in their beaks. Above the coat-of-arms is a tourney helmet with covers on the right side silver-red and on the left side bue-silver. On the helmet is a golden crown with the red Rosenberg rose in a jewel.