Horta de Sant Joan

Heraldry of the World
Civic heraldry of Spain - Heraldica Española

HORTA DE SANT JOAN

Official blazon

Escut caironat: de sinople, una figuera d'argent; el peu d'argent, una creu plena patent de gules. Per timbre una corona mural de vila.

Origin/meaning

These arms were officially granted on 31st May 1996.

The fig tree is a traditional element on the arms of Horta de Sant Joan, a little town whose main economic resources are agriculture and tourism; actually, the tree may be an allusion to the name Horta, meaning in Catalan a large orchard. The local castle, originally Islamic, was given to the Templar knights in 1177 and became the centre of a Templar command, later Hospitaller (since 1317); the cross Gules on Argent symbolizes these historical facts.

Literature : Image taken from Wikipedia; background from Enric Fontvila, Barcelona.