Flag and coat of arms of Sochi: the meaning and description of symbols

Sochi is the largest resort city in Russia. It is a popular cultural, recreational and economic center. What does the emblem of Sochi represent? What is the meaning of his symbols?

Briefly about the city

Sochi is a city in the Krasnodar Territory. It is located on the Black Sea coast of the country, from the north-eastern edge of the reservoir. The city occupies almost 177 square kilometers. The permanent population is 402 thousand inhabitants.

The executive power is represented by the administration of Sochi, its head is Anatoly Nikolayevich Pakhomov. The city district covers an area of 3502 square kilometers and covers four inner city districts: Khostinsky, Central, Lazarevsky and Adler.

The territory of the city covers the slopes of the Caucasian ridge. Sochi has formed a humid subtropical climate, which makes it particularly in demand among other national resorts. His beaches stretched for 115 kilometers in length. In the city there are both sea and winter ski resorts.

The city has developed industry, transport network, financial sector and agriculture. Sochi climate promotes gardening. Outside the city, various exotic plants are cultivated (citrus, kiwi, feijoa, etc.), tea. Bees are bred in the foothills, and trout in the local mountain rivers.

Sochi coat of arms

The official symbols of the city are its coat of arms and the flag. Sochi coat of arms was first adopted in 1967. After this, the design changes were approved in 1997, 2003 and 2005. The shield has a traditional French shape - a rectangle with rounded corners and a pointed bottom.

The space of the emblem is divided into four areas, on top of which is placed the fifth field - a rectangular flap, or shingles, slightly overlapping the edges of the others. The scutellum is located in the center and is painted in azure color. It shows a silver bowl, from which silver drops drip. In the very same cup the fire burns.

The remaining areas are painted white and red diagonally. In the upper left field, blue on a white background, the outlines of three mountains are depicted. Nearby is a red area, which depicts a golden or yellow palm tree. The third field is red. In its center, the yellow sun is depicted. Under the area with the palm tree is a white rectangle, in which a blue wavy belt is inscribed.

In the first version, the Sochi emblem framed a gold ribbon with the inscription "Health-to-people". From the sides, it was woven into the branches of tea and laurel. The mountains were depicted as clouds. Above the coat of arms were a sickle and a hammer in gold. In the 1997 version, the hammer and sickle were replaced with flying birds.

Meaning of symbols

The city is a major transport hub, it develops industry and agriculture. However, the coat of arms of Sochi reflects quite a different side of it - the resort. The four main areas to which the shield is divided are the districts of the urban district. Each of them has its own peculiarity.

Three mountains in the first part symbolize the tops of the Caucasian ridge: Chugush, Aibga, Achishkho. They are in the Khosta district. The mountains are simultaneously sent to the ski resort of Adler district.

The palm in the second part symbolizes one of the main riches of the city - its subtropical vegetation. Here is the largest arboretum of the country. The sun in the third field of the shield is a symbol of not only the hot climate, but also the development of the city.

The blue waves in the fourth rectangle are nothing but the Black Sea - the main attraction of the resort. The bowl in the central part, placed on the Sochi emblem is a symbol of the city's mineral springs. Their name, Matsesta, is literally translated as "fiery water".

Flag of Sochi and the meaning of colors

The composition of the flag of the city repeats its coat of arms. The Sochi administration approved it in 2006. The flag is a rectangular panel, the sides of which are related to each other as 2: 3.

Just like on the coat of arms, it depicts the main mountains of Sochi, a golden palm tree and sun, azure waves of the Black Sea and a bowl of Matsatinskaya "hot water". In addition to the main figures on the coat of arms and the flag, their colors also have a symbolic meaning. They correspond to the standard values in heraldry.

So, white and silver are symbols of peace, wisdom and simplicity. Yellow is associated with gold and means wealth, nobility, strength and greatness. The blue symbolizes truth, heavenly purity and honor. Red means life-affirming energy.