![[City of Victoria (Rabat) (Ghawdex/Gozo Island, Malta)]](../images/m/mt-cl-vict.gif)
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image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 15 October 2008
Last modified: 2015-01-24 by rob raeside
Keywords: malta | victoria | città vittoria | rabat (gozo) | ghawdex | gozo | coupeaux (yellow) | letters: 2 (red) | vr |
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3:5
image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 15 October 2008
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It is a white flag with a red bordure. The width of bordure is estimated 1/12
of total height. In the centre of the flag is the coat of arms.
Description
of coat of arms: It is a light blue (B-) shield with a golden (= yellow)
coupeaux with three peaks at its bottom. The shield has a golden (= yellow)
chief with two red capitals “VR” in the centre. The shield is topped by a mural
crown with three towers.
Meaning:
The coat of arms is based on the
historical coat of arms of Gozo Island showing three mountains above the sea in
natural colour, all topped by a yellow 6-point star. The chief with “VR” had
been added later on, after Queen Victoria visited the island. The Capitals are
the abbreviation of “Victoria Regina”. The mural crown indicates that Rabat is a
city.
Source:
I spotted this flag inside the Gozitan archive and library in
Victoria on 26 September 2008
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 15 October 2008
If my recollection of Maltese (Malti) serves me, Rabat means 'suburb', while L-Imdina means 'walled city'. I have no recollection of Ir-Rabat on Gozo being the suburb of anything, but perhaps it once was.
Ole Andersen, 10 March 2000
It still is. The Citadel of Ir-Rabat or Victoria is the main building and the city outside it is regarded as the suburb or Rabat.
Jarig Bakker, 10 March 2000
Actually Victoria [Rabat-Għawdex] was named after Queen Victoria in 1897 at her jubilee. Vittoria is a local variation of the name.
Jarig Bakker, 24 March 2000
Citta Victoria refers to the city of Ir-Rabat, Gozo. As mentioned, Ir-Rabat means
suburb. In fact, Ir-Rabat is the suburb of the Cittadella, which is a small
Citadel, of Medieval origins, which houses the Cathedral of Gozoz dedicated to
the Assumption of St Mary.
Christopher Vella, 15 May 2004
From the Ministry of Gozo website:
Victoria is the capital town of the island of Gozo. The name Victoria, locally known as Ir-Rabat, was given to the medieval town of Gozo in 1887 in honour of the famous British Queen's Golden Jubilee celebrations. At the same instance, the town was also raised to the status of a city; then officially known as Città Victoria.The town of Victoria embraces both the Citadel, the ancient city of the Island, as well as Ir-Rabat, the old suburb of the Citadel. Rabat in Arabic and Archaic Maltese stands for suburb and this name was first documented as Rabbatum in a notorious deed drawn by Andrea de Beniamin on 22nd February 1455. Its motto is A magna maxima (From great supreme). The coat-of-arms has an azure background and portrays a shield with three hills and the letters VR (which stand for Victoria Regina) on top of the shield.
Santiago Dotor, 9 February 2006
![[City of Victoria (Rabat) (Ghawdex/Gozo Island, Malta)]](../images/m/mt-11.gif)
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image by António Martins, 1 March 2000
Blazon: Azure a triple-mount Or on a chief of the same the letters VR Gules. Note there is another
Ir-Rabat.
António Martins, 1 March 2000
