Presentation on the topic: Coats of arms of Russian cities. Coats of arms of ancient Russian cities - golden ring - - objects of Soviet life
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Presentation on the topic: Coats of arms of Russian cities
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The history of the fleet in the coats of arms of cities Completed by: student of class 4 B, Municipal Educational Institution Secondary School No. 289 of Zaozersk, Murmansk region Lyashenko Alina Scientific supervisor: teacher primary classes Pulina Svetlana Evgenievna Municipal educational institution secondary school No. 289, Zaozersk, Murmansk region Interregional distance conference - competition for students in grades 1 - 7 “First steps into science” Section “History” 2011 5klass.net
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Slide no. 3
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Introduction A coat of arms is an emblem of a state, a city, or even a clan or family. The coat of arms is depicted on flags, coins, seals, state and other documents. For any city the coat of arms has great importance, it reflects history and is the calling card of the city. I live in the ZATO (closed territorial entity) city of Zaozersk, Murmansk region - a city of submariners. Like any other city, ours has its own coat of arms. The coat of arms reflects the features of the city: specifics, geographical location.
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Heraldry is the science of coats of arms. A coat of arms is an inherited emblem, which is characterized by the presence of a shield as the main visual element. The very origin of the term “coat of arms” emphasizes its meaning as a symbol of family ties. In the West Slavic and Upper Germanic languages, the word “herb” means “inheritance”, “dowry”. Heraldry is a science that studies and explains already created coats of arms and signs, determines the rules for drawing up new ones. IN modern world there were more than two hundred states. Almost each of them has its own official symbols. The history of many state emblems goes back hundreds of years.
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In heraldry, five main forms of the coat of arms have been established: Varangian, Italian, Spanish, French and German. The most widely used in the design of coats of arms is the French shield. It is he who is present on all the coats of arms of Russian cities. The main figures of the coat of arms are the images placed on the shield. The shield can be crossed vertically in the middle by a wide strip - a pillar, horizontally - by a belt, and along an oblique - by a sling. If the bands intersect to form an angle, they are called rafters. There may be a cross on the shield - an image of an intersecting pillar and belt. Also, images of humans, animals, birds, fish, geographical objects, etc. are placed on the shield. Sometimes mythological creatures can also be seen on the shield.
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Knight's shields covered bright colors– enamels. According to the rules of heraldry, when composing coats of arms, a limited number of colors are used: red, blue, green, purple, black, as well as heraldic metals - gold and silver, which are yellow and white colors, respectively. Heraldic colors had symbolic meaning: gold signified wealth, strength, loyalty, constancy, greatness, strength, generosity, providence and sunlight; silver is a symbol of perfection, nobility, purity of thoughts, peace; azure - grandeur, beauty, clarity; scarlet color means bravery, courage, fearlessness, maturity and energy; greenery is a symbol of joy, hope, nature, prosperity, prosperity, hope, abundance, freedom; black color is prudence, wisdom, honesty, humility; purple - dignity, strength, courage.
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Voronezh In a scarlet (red) field with a golden head, burdened with a black double-headed eagle with golden beaks, paws and eyes, with scarlet tongues, crowned with three golden imperial crowns and holding a golden scepter in the right paw, and a golden orb in the left, emerging from the right golden a mountain made of boulders, on the slope of which there is an overturned silver jug pouring out silver water. The shield is crowned with a golden tower crown with five visible teeth, surrounded by a hoop with a golden laurel wreath. Shield holders are knights on the green earth in silver chain mail, mirror armor, helmets with arrows and open aventails in front, in scarlet cloaks pinned on the right shoulder with silver, in shirts and boots of the same enamel and ports of the same metal; right - holds in right hand a golden sword directed downwards, and on its belt there is a golden scabbard; left - holds in his left hand in front of him a golden ancient (almond-shaped) shield, on which is placed the emblem from the regimental banner of the infantry regiment, approved on March 8, 1730, on his belt is a sword in a sheath of the same metal. The shield is framed with order ribbons: on the right - the Order of Lenin, and on the left - the Order Patriotic War I degree.
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St. Petersburg The coat of arms of St. Petersburg is a heraldic red shield with an image on its field of two silver anchors - sea (obliquely from left to right of the viewer, with claws in the upper left corner of the shield from the viewer; has two claws and a transverse detail on the anchor rod) and river ( diagonally from the right to the left of the viewer, with paws in the upper right corner of the shield from the viewer; has four paws and lacks a transverse detail on the anchor rod), placed crosswise, and on them is a golden scepter with a double-headed eagle. The shield is topped imperial crown with two St. Andrew's azure ribbons coming out of it. Behind the shield are two crosswise gold Russian scepters, decorated with diamonds and enamel, connected by St. Andrew's azure ribbon.
Animals in the coats of arms of Russian cities
In a silver field on an azure extremity, burdened with two pairs of facing silver fish, one above the other, supported on the sides by two black bears, a golden chair with a red cushion and a back, crowned with a golden candlestick with three silver candles burning with scarlet flames; on the pillow are placed a crossed golden scepter and a cross crowned with a cross.
Approved on August 16, 1781. Description of the coat of arms: At the top of the shield is the coat of arms of Vladimir. At the bottom are two hares sitting in a green field, of which there are many animals in the vicinity of this city.
The coat of arms depicts two golden herrings in a black field “as a sign that this smoked fish is being traded.”
The Rybinsk coat of arms is a red shield divided into two parts. At the top there is a bear with an ax coming out from behind the river, showing that the city belongs to the Yaroslavl region. At the bottom there are two sterlets, indicating an abundance of water and fish. There are two staircases leading up the hill from the water, marking the pier.
The heraldic symbol of this regional center near Moscow has been the peacock for more than 200 years! At the end of the 18th century, by order of the already mentioned Empress Catherine, a campaign began in the country to massively assign coats of arms to cities; the then chief herald of the empire, Count Francisco Santi, sent out questionnaires to all corners of the country, wanting to find out what special thing each city and town had - so that it then display it on the coat of arms. In the response received from Serpukhov, Santi’s attention was attracted by the phrase: “in one monastery peacocks will be born...” (This meant the Vysotsky Monastery, to whose monks back in 1691 the okolnichy Mikhail Kolupaev gave a peacock and a peacock as a contribution, from which the Serpukhov peacock family began.) Such an insignificant remark in the questionnaire became the reason for the “enshrinment” of the peacock on the coat of arms of Serpukhov.
Approved on September 21, 1781. Description of the coat of arms: At the top of the shield is the coat of arms of Voronezh. At the bottom there is an animal called a ferret, in a golden field, of which there are a lot in the vicinity of this city.
The silver shield is crossed diagonally by a blue ribbon-sash, on which three flying partridges are depicted. The coat of arms was approved in February 1992 by the city Council of People's Deputies.
Approved on January 8, 1780. Description of the coat of arms: In the first part is the coat of arms of Kursk. In the second part of the shield, an animal called a ferret is in a golden field, for the reason that many of them are caught in the vicinity of this city.
LGOV, in the Kursk region, regional subordination, regional center, 85 km west of Kursk. Located in the southern part of the Central Russian Upland, along the banks of the river. Seim (tributary of the Desna).
A black fox in a golden field is a sign that the inhabitants of that city are practicing catching those animals. Approved October 2, 1781
Black sable and marten
Golden shield holders - bear and sable with collars made of squirrel fur, with a silver druse of five crystals. The bear is a symbol of the European part of Russia, the sable is the symbol of the Asian part. Under the Demidovs, sable was a mark of Ural metal.
In a silver field on green ground there is a black stump with a branch with green leaves extending to the right; on the stump there is a scarlet woodpecker sitting with its wings raised and turned to the left, having golden eyes and a beak.
Coat of arms of Cheboksary. At the top of the shield is the Kazan coat of arms. At the bottom are five wild ducks flying in a golden field, as a sign that they are very abundant in the vicinity of this city. Supremely approved 10/18/1781
Marten. Often, marten furs were used by the population to exchange with southern tribes for iron and other necessary things.
Description (1785) At the top of the shield is the coat of arms of Tobolsk. At the bottom, in a golden field, is a bundle of different animal skins, on which lies the Mercury Rod: as a sign that in this city there is a major trade in furs, to which merchants come from all over the world.
The silver bear is a symbol of the natural resources surrounding the city of endless lands, containing many “metals, salt mines, multi-colored marbles and other stones” and “full of forests”, in which “there is a considerable amount and various kinds wild animals"
Which of our settlements was “sent to the soap”, and which one “received the pumpkin”?
With the approval of the leadership of the Chelyabinsk region, a competition was organized there for best idea to commemorate the day a meteorite exploded over the region. Among the most “creative” proposals from citizens is changing the region’s coat of arms, on which it is proposed to place a meteorite next to a camel.
Coat of arms of Chelyabinsk.
"MK" studied the most strange coats of arms Russian regions and cities. What we didn’t find there: from a Negroid tiger to a sacrifice, an opium poppy and fragments of cellulose.
Let's start with the Chelyabinsk residents. Now the main element of the coat of arms of this region and its capital is the camel. The image of the “ship of the desert” appeared on the heraldic shield during the time of Empress Catherine the Great. The description of the coat of arms of Chelyabinsk, approved on July 6, 1782, says: “In... the lower part of the shield there is a loaded camel, as a sign that they are brought to this city with goods.” The authors meant that through this Ural city Since ancient times, there was a caravan route along which goods from Mongolia and China were delivered to the European part of the country. So, from a historical point of view, the existence of the Chelyabinsk “coat of arms” camel is quite logical and justified.
The same cannot be said about the “hero of animal origin” who settled on the coat of arms of the city of Serpukhov. The heraldic symbol of this regional center near Moscow has been the peacock for more than 200 years! (I just want to spread the slogan among the people: “The Moscow region is the homeland of peacocks!”)
Coat of arms of Serpukhov
But how did the exotic bird of paradise “build a nest” in our northern regions, on the banks of the Oka? It turns out that when at the end of the 18th century, by order of the already mentioned Empress Catherine, a campaign began in the country to massively assign coats of arms to cities, the then chief herald of the empire, Count Francisco Santi, sent out questionnaires to all corners of the country, wanting to find out which “exclusive” was available in each city and town. “- so that it can be displayed on the coat of arms. In the response received from Serpukhov, Santi’s attention was attracted by the phrase: “in one monastery peacocks will be born...” (This meant the Vysotsky Monastery, to whose monks back in 1691 the okolnichy Mikhail Kolupaev gave a peacock and a peacock as a contribution, from which the Serpukhov peacock family began.) Such an insignificant remark in the questionnaire became the reason for the “enshrinment” of the peacock on the coat of arms of Serpukhov.
However, a peacock at least “sounds proud.” Some other settlements received much less “top” birds. For example, the city of Elabuga in Tatarstan, now famous for automobile production, 232 years ago was awarded a coat of arms on which “... in the lower part of the shield in a silver field there is a woodpecker sitting on a stump, pecking at it, for there are many birds of this kind there.”
But Irkutsk acquired an animal on its coat of arms, which in reality does not exist at all. This unique specimen is a “Negroid” tiger, equipped with webbed paws and a flat “fleshy” tail, like a beaver.
Coat of arms of Irkutsk
Where did such a mutant come from? – We read the description of the coat of arms, approved in the fall of 1790: “There is a running tiger in the silver field of the shield, and a sable in its mouth.” Well, there is nothing supernatural here, because in those ancient times, in the east of the vast Siberian province, tigers were not uncommon. However, this very name of the animal somehow did not catch on among the Siberians, and instead of it, the locals called the mighty tabby cat babr. It’s easy to imagine the further development of events: officials, far from Siberian exoticism, easily confused the local babr with the widespread “aquatic animal” - the beaver. So it turned out later, according to official documents, that the inhabitants of Irkutsk have a running beaver (!) on their coat of arms, holding a sable in its mouth. In order to somehow fit the “picture” to this awkward description, the tiger from the Irkutsk coat of arms was painted with “beaver” hind legs and tail, and the striped coloring of the skin was removed, replacing it with plain black.
Among other Russian coats of arms, equipped with images of animals, there was one very “sadistic” one. The coat of arms of the Kargopol district of the Arkhangelsk region flaunts, according to the description approved in June 2004, “in an azure field, a silver ram with golden horns, lying on golden brands; everything is engulfed in scarlet (red) flame.” That is, the process of roasting a ram is actually depicted - uncut, right in all its naturalness. The explanation for the appearance of such a “horror” on the coat of arms is that the ritual of sacrificing a ram has been widespread in the Russian North since pagan times. In some villages of the Kargopol district, “Ram Sunday” even existed before the revolution, during which peasants slaughtered a ram and sacrificed it to Elijah the Prophet.
Among hundreds of Russian city emblems, there are some whose images, in modern times, can be interpreted as prohibited propaganda.
On the coat of arms of the village (formerly former city) Epifan in the Tula region you can see the drug - hemp.
Epifan village coat of arms
According to the ancient description of the coat of arms, it represents “a shield, a silver field with black soil below, from which three hemp epics grow, showing that the surroundings of this city, among other works, abound in hemp.” It is clear that our great-grandfathers, when drawing hemp on the coat of arms of Epifani, did not even think about the narcotic properties of this “weed”. In those times this plant was actively cultivated to obtain hemp from it for weaving strong ropes and useful hemp oil.
The same “criminal” hemp is depicted on the coat of arms of some other territories where the cultivation of hemp for economic needs flourished in the past - the Kimovsky district of the Tula region and the city of Novozybkov in the Bryansk region (in this latter case, hemp stems are depicted rolled into a green sheaf, and in 1980s, when hemp was already on the “black lists”, instead of a sheaf they began to draw a more “harmless” heraldic element - a cannon).
Another narcotic “object” also made its way into heraldry. Here is a description of the coat of arms of the city of Derbent in what is now Dagestan, approved in March 1843: “...In the lower half of the shield, divided into two parts and having a silver field, on right side old fortress wall with a gate...; on the left side are the intertwined roots of a madder plant and several stems of poppy, tied with a golden rope, as a sign that the residents are processing madder with great success and breeding poppies to make opium (shiryak) from it.”
Coat of arms of Derbent
The opiate is also depicted on the coat of arms of the city of Karachev (present-day Bryansk region), which was approved in 1781. “...In the lower part of the shield of the coat of arms there is in a silver field a bunch of blossoming poppies tied with a golden rope, of which there are quite a few in the fields around this city they sow and trade with it.”
Some coats of arms are “equipped” with rather unexpected elements. For example, in the old (1781) description of the coat of arms of the city of Shuya (Ivanovo region) it is written: “... In the lower part of the shield there is a bar of soap in a red field, meaning the glorious soap factories located in the city.” True, in the modern version of the coat of arms, approved in 2004, this bar of soap has turned into a kind of abstract “golden bar with three visible sides - the front, facing straight, the top and the left.”
Coat of arms of the city of Shuya
By the will of the capital's kings of arms, the city of Sengilei (present-day Ulyanovsk region) received a pumpkin. In the literal sense of the word: “...At the bottom of the shield are two large pumpkins with branches in a silver field, signifying the abundance of this kind of fruit.”
Sometimes the very names of old Russian settlements became a “hint” to the creators of coats of arms. Here, for example, are two cities in the current Penza region - Verkhniy and Nizhny Lomov. Here you don’t need to strain your imagination too much - in both cases, in the city coats of arms, in their lower part, there appear “five iron crowbars placed in a star, with sharp ends up, meaning the name of this city.”
Come on, most savvy readers, guess how to illustrate the name Dukhovshchina on the coat of arms? For those who did not cope with this task, we quote a fragment from the description of the coat of arms approved in 1780 for this city in the territory of the present Smolensk region: “...In the lower part of the shield in a white field there is a rose bush producing a pleasant spirit.”
Of course, the creativity of the inventors of coats of arms “from the time of the construction of developed socialism in the country” has moved away from all this archaism. In the USSR, cities and towns received “propaganda” coats of arms – in the spirit of propaganda posters. They depicted power plants, factories, turbines, icebreakers, steel ladles, gears (well, the heraldic element was very popular!), pipes, ears of corn, hammers... On the coat of arms of the city of Bratsk, approved in 1980, where the largest pulp mill was built paper mill, among other things, even “stylized fragments” were depicted chemical formula cellulose".
Thematic conversation in primary school. For younger students about the coats of arms of Russian cities
Alla Alekseevna Kondratyeva, primary school teacher, Zolotukhinsk Secondary School, Kursk Region
Description of material: Nowadays, patriotic education takes up quite a lot of time in the educational environment, so I have developed a program for extracurricular activities"Your Russia". I suggest to teachers secondary schools and institutions additional education material - a reference book about the coats of arms of cities. The material can be used in a wide variety of forms: conversation, Classroom hour, quiz, game hour, extracurricular activity, virtual travel, etc. The material is designed to help any student answer such important questions as:
1) How and when did the distinctive signs of Russian cities appear?
2) What were the distinctive signs of medieval knights?
3) What personal insignia did noble people of Russia have?
Target: acquaintance with the distinctive signs (coats of arms) of Russian cities, creation of a short, colorful, interesting reference book about the coats of arms of cities.
Tasks:
1.Create a vivid figurative idea of the era of medieval knights and Ancient Rus', contribute to the formation of ideas about the first insignia of Russian cities.
2. To arouse students’ interest in the history of Russia, expand their understanding of the history of Russia, develop a cognitive interest in reading, and instill a strong interest in books.
3. Foster a respectful attitude towards the spiritual and moral traditions of the Fatherland, pride in belonging to the roots of Russia.
Teacher:
The life of medieval knights was not easy. Wear heavy armor, endure the whims of your lady love, and endless tournaments. Even by good reason don't miss it! Suddenly everyone will think that he chickened out. They'll laugh again.
In the helmet behind the visor it is cold in winter, hot in summer and you can’t hear the squire. It was difficult to communicate in armor. One day someone came up with an idea: so that the knights would not be confused with each other and simple people They learned from afar that they decided to paint their shields. Each has its own design, its own figures, colors and identification marks. Such armor is far visible both in the tournament and on the battlefield.
Coats of arms of medieval knights
The design on the shield began to be called the “coat of arms”. The coat of arms was assigned to each knight, and they stopped being confused. Gradually, rules emerged according to which it was possible to come up with various new coats of arms. Many people liked the idea of a personalized insignia. Noble people decorated their outfits, castle rooms, and carriages with their family coats of arms. The fashion for coat of arms came to Russia. But only nobles and ... cities received the right to have their own family coat of arms.
Remember, you probably saw the coat of arms of your city? Maybe it depicts a beautiful crown and anchors, or a horseman in armor who kills a snake, or maybe some other animal?
Even the simplest drawing-symbol can tell a lot. The main thing is to be able to “read” it.
Do you know what the color on the coat of arms means?
Red color called “scarlet” and serves as a symbol of bravery and courage, and also symbolizes the blood shed for the faith, the sovereign and the Fatherland.Coat of arms of the city of Tula
Blue called “azure” and symbolizes beauty.
Blue- a symbol of beauty, greatness, loyalty, trust, impeccability, as well as the development of forward movement, hope, dreams.
Coat of arms of the city of Kolomna
Green– means hope, youth, joy, abundance, fertility, freedom, peace and tranquility.
Black- speaks of sadness, prudence and humility. In addition, it is a symbol of education, modesty, and caution.
Yellow and white– compared with precious metals- gold and silver. Gold most often symbolizes wealth, and silver – purity.
Violet- a symbol of royal or royal origin. Purple dye was obtained from very expensive and rare shells. Due to its high cost, it could only be used in royal and royal courts.
Coat of arms of the family of princes Trubetskoy
Coat of arms of the Potemkin family
Coat of arms- this is an emblem, a distinctive sign, passed on by inheritance, which depicts objects symbolizing the owner of the coat of arms (city, country, class, clan, etc.). Heraldry deals with the study of coats of arms.
What do the animals on coats of arms mean?
Bull- a symbol of labor and patience, fertility and cattle breeding. Coat of arms of the city of Engels, Saratov region
Wolf-symbol of greed, anger and gluttony. Placed on coats of arms as a sign of victory over a greedy, evil enemy.
Coat of arms of the city of Volkovysk
Pigeon- a symbol of humility and purity, the holy spirit.
Coat of arms of the city of Blagoveshchensk
Snake- a symbol of wisdom, kindness and precaution.
Coat of arms of the city of Zmeinogorsk (Altai)
Wild boar- a symbol of fearlessness and power.
Wild cat-symbol of independence.
Coat of arms of Vologda
a lion- a symbol of power, strength, courage and generosity.
Coat of arms of the city of Vladimir
Coat of arms of the city of Belgorod
Bear- a symbol of forethought and strength.
The bear is depicted on the coats of arms of many cities: Ekaterinburg, Novgorod, Norilsk, Perm, Syktyvkar, Khabarovsk, Yaroslavl and many others.
Coat of arms of the city of Yaroslavl
Sheep- a symbol of meekness, kindness and rural life.
Coat of arms of the city of Evpatoria (Crimea)
Coat of arms of the city of Samara
Deer-symbol of a warrior in front of whom the enemy is running.
City coat of arms Nizhny Novgorod
Eagle- symbol of vigilance.
Coat of arms of the city of Orel
Bee- a symbol of hard work and tirelessness.
Coat of arms of the city of Tambov
Owl- a symbol of wisdom, ingenuity and efficiency.
Altai
On ancient reliefs you can see many different monsters: dragons. winged bulls and lions, people with the heads of crocodiles and hippos, mermaids with fish tails. But it was not the hydra, sphinx or griffin, but the double-headed eagle that became the symbol of Russia.
The image of a double-headed eagle appeared three thousand years BC. In the civilization of the ancient Sumerians who lived at that time, an eagle with two heads was a divine symbol.
It is generally accepted that the double-headed eagle appeared on the coat of arms of Russia immediately after the marriage of the Grand Duke of Moscow Ivan III and Princess Sophia (Zoe) Palaiologos, the niece of the last Byzantine emperor Constantine XI. Sofia Paleolog brought with her some regalia with the image of a double-headed eagle. Thus, Ivan III inherited not only the royal title, but also the coat of arms of the Palaiologan dynasty.
The country's coat of arms is a double-headed eagle
Spread his wings proudly.
Holds the scepter and the orb,
He saved Russia.
There is a red shield on the eagle's chest.
Dear to everyone: you and me.
A handsome young man gallops
On a silver horse.
Confirms the ancient coat of arms
Independence of the country.
For the peoples of all Russia
Our symbols are important.
STATE EMBRACE OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
We are so accustomed to the coat of arms of Moscow with the image of St. George the Victorious on a horse, slaying a serpent. How and when did he get to Russia? St. George the Victorious is a common Christian saint, revered in many countries.
Each city in Russia and even small towns and villages have their own distinctive sign - a coat of arms, which is a kind of painted “passport” of the territory. The word “greb” itself has Polish roots, and translated means “heritage”. Indeed, coats of arms are passed down from generation to generation and are not changed unnecessarily.
The coat of arms eloquently tells the history of the city and reveals its past. However, some coats of arms are puzzling: why exactly THIS is depicted on it? We present to your attention the most unusual and interesting, in our opinion, coats of arms of Russian cities.
Chelyabinsk
Chelyabinsk is the cast iron capital of our homeland. It would seem, what does the camel have to do with it? But it is this handsome two-humped man who is depicted on the city’s coat of arms, and this has its justification. Many centuries ago, the route of “ships of the desert” passed through Chelyabinsk, along which goods from Asia were delivered to the capital and cities of the European part of our country.
Magnitogorsk, Chelyabinsk region
Everyone is familiar with Malevich’s “Black Square”. But not everyone saw the Black Triangle depicted on the coat of arms of Magnitogorsk. The description of the coat of arms is very laconic: “There is a black pyramid in a silver field.” The image can be interpreted in different ways: it is the tent in which the first builders of the city lived, Magnitnaya Mountain, and a reminder that Magnitogorsk is the center of ferrous metallurgy.
Serpukhov, Moscow region
But in Serpukhov everything is much happier and more cheerful: on the coat of arms of the city there is a handsome peacock with his tail outstretched. In the 18th century, Empress Catherine ordered “all cities to have a coat of arms,” and a small questionnaire was sent to each, where it was necessary to indicate an exclusive and unique feature settlements. The answer came from Serpukhov: “in one monastery peacocks will be born...”. As it turned out later, a pair of these strange birds was presented to the Vysotsky Monastery as an offering, from which the entire Serpukhov peacock family descended. However, this insignificant note became the reason for the appearance of a tailed bird on the main symbol of the city.
Shuya, Ivanovo region
The first acquaintance with the Shuya coat of arms can be confusing. What is it: a brick in honor of the builders or a parallelepiped indicating geometry and correct forms? Everything is much simpler - this is a piece of ordinary soap, “meaning the glorious soap factories of the city.” But the current description of the coat of arms is much more prosaic: the piece of soap turned out to be just a “golden bar with three sides.”
Irkutsk
Many coats of arms feature animals, and all of them are easily recognizable. But what kind of animal is on the coat of arms of Irkutsk is difficult to figure out: an African-American tiger with webbed paws and a beaver tail, tightly holding a killed sable in its teeth? Initially, the coat of arms actually depicted a tiger, but it was rarely seen in those places, and the name “tiger” itself did not take root among the Siberians, and the strong striped cat was called “babr.” Over time, officials, who did not have much knowledge in the field of exotics, confused the bAbra with the beaver and “painted” the Irkutsk tiger’s hind legs and tail like a beaver, and repainted the striped skin black.
Snezhnogorsk, Murmansk region
Perhaps the cutest thing is the coat of arms of Snezhnogorsk. It depicts a somewhat cartoonish seal as a symbol of the local shipyard of the same name. On the other hand, this coat of arms is a real classic in heraldry: snowflakes directly speak of the name of the city, thereby making the coat of arms “semi-vocal.”
Epifan village, Tula region
By modern standards, the coat of arms of Epifani can be compared to prohibited propaganda: it depicts hemp. Based on the ancient description, on the coat of arms “you can see a field from which three hemp epics grow like a shield.” Naturally, our ancestors had no idea about the intoxicating properties of these “epics,” and hemp was cultivated exclusively for the production of ropes and oil.
Zheleznogorsk, Krasnoyarsk region
A bear tearing apart an atom... It sounds strong and even threatening. However, such a bear is depicted on the coat of arms of Zheleznogorsk. According to the description, it is a symbol of the unity of the forces of nature and human thought.
For the creators of coats of arms, the name of the city often serves as a “clue”. It is not difficult to guess what the coats of arms of the two cities of the Penza region of Verkhniy Lomov and Nizhny Lomov look like.
Now try to imagine for yourself what you would draw on the coat of arms of the city of Dukhovshchina, which is located in the Smolensk region? Naturally, “in an open field there is a rose bush with a pleasant spirit”!
The coat of arms is business card of any city, its face and, to put it modern language, barcode. Some of them are real works of art, while others sometimes look funny and unusual, but this in no way detracts from their importance for residents.