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Aspindza (Municipality, Georgia)

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Flag and arms of Aspindza - Images by The State Council of Heraldry at the Parliament of Georgia, 23 February 2012

Presentation of Aspindza
Flag of Aspindza

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Georgia

Presentation of Aspindza

The municipality of Aspindza (13,010 inhabitants in 2002, 3,940 in the town proper; 825 sq. km) is located in central south Georgia, on the border with Turkey.
The Battle of Aspindza was won on 20 April 1770 by King of Georgia Heraclius II (1720/21-1798, King in 1745) over the Ottoman troops heading to Tbilisi.

Ivan Sache, 30 May 2012

Flag of Aspindza

The flag and arms of Aspindza are prescribed by Decree No. 11, adopted on 18 May 2011 by the Municipal Council.

The State Council of Heraldry at the Parliament of Georgia, 23 February 2012

The flag is red with a yellow crown in the middle and a thick yellow border charged with eight red "Georgian" crosses patty (3:2:3).
The flag is a simplified banner of the municipal arms, which are "Gules a parchment and a staff crossed per saltire ensigned with a crown of the same, a bordure gules eight crosses patty gules 3 + 2 + 3. The shield surmounted by a three-towered mural crown argent fimbriated sable. Under the shield a scroll argent fimbriated sable charged with the name of the town in Georgian capital letters sable."
[State Council of Heraldry at the Parliament of Georgia]

The charges of the arms must represent the monastery of Vardzia set up by Queen Tamar.
The Vardzia cave monastery (homepage) was built in 1185 on the side of Erusheli mountains, south of Aspindza. Queen Tamar ordered the digging of the monastery - including, on 13 levels, 6,000 appartments, a church and a throne room - as a shelter against the Mongol invaders. The monastery was not destroyed by the Mongols but by an earthquake that ripped the place apart in 1283. The community was eventually suppressed in 1551 by a Persian raid.

Ivan Sache, 31 May 2012