The coat of arms of Wrocław is divided into quarters. It dates back to 1530. The arms were approved by Emperor Charles V.
Description
thumb|left|upright=0.5|Medieval arms from castle [[Lauf an der Pegnitz|Lauf, around 1360 - the only surviving example of this design.]]
In the centre is the severed head of John the Baptist, the city's patron saint. The crowned lion rampant in the first (upper left) quarter represents the Kingdom of Bohemia, which Wrocław became part of upon the death of Duke Henry VI of Silesia in 1335. In the second (upper right) quarter there is the Silesian eagle which comes from the ruling Piast dynasty. The letter "W" in the third quarter stands for both Wratislavia, the Latin name of the city, and for the name of the legendary founder of the city Wrócisław (probably Duke Vratislaus I of Bohemia). In the fourth quarter there is John the Evangelist with halo and an overturned crown as pectorale.
Its blazon is: "Quarterly, I: Gules, a lion rampant queue fourch erect facing sinister Argent, armed and langued Or outlined Sable, crowned Or outlined Sable; II: Or, an eagle Sable charged with across its breast and wings a crescent Argent upward pointing with a crosslet Argent attached rising from the middle; III: Or, a capital letter 'W' Sable serifed; IV: Gules, the head and shoulders of St. John the Evangelist gardant Argent, with youthful face and long hair Argent outlined Sable and with halo Or outlined Sable, issuant from an inverted crown Or outlined Sable. Surmounting all at center a roundel Argent, double-bordered in Sable, charged with St. John the Baptist's head Argent, with beard and hair Sable, semi-gardant turned toward the dexter."
Evolution
thumb|left|upright=0.5|Medieval version
alt=|thumb|upright=0.5|Arms from 1938 to 1945.
The first version of the coat of arms was created in 1292, and featured only the head of John the Baptist. After Wrocław became part of the Kingdom of Bohemia in 1335, the Bohemian lion was added to the shield in alternating quadrants. The only surviving example of this version of the shield now exists on the wall of Lauf Castle near Nuremberg.
Under Nazi Germany, in 1938, the historic coat of arms was abolished,