A two-storey palace of Varaždin County, which was the seat of a county prefect, was built on the former land of the Varaždin Generalate in the period between 1770 and 1772. The palace was built by a builder Jacobus Erber according to the plans which had been made in Vienna and which had been adjusted to the circumstances and needs of Varaždin. In 1763, Varaždin County was given right by Maria Theresa to use a printed coat of arms, which was actually a coat of arms of the hereditary prefects of the Erdӧdy family. Besides that, in 1778 the County banner was designed. It was the first known county banner and another feature of the County`s visual identity. County prefect Ivan Nepomuk 1 had it made. The County banner was made of red-white-red silk with the County coat of arms in the middle. On the other side there was a painting of Mary the Holy Mother of God with baby Jesus in her arms. These characteristics of the visual identity of the County have remained to this day. The original County coat of arms is on display at the State Archive of Varaždin and the banner is held at the Varaždin City Museum.
