Flag and coat of arms of Vologda: description

Vologda is the largest city in the north-west of Russia, an important historical and cultural center of the country. In this article we will talk about its symbols. What does the flag and coat of arms of Vologda look like? And what is the meaning of them?

Vologda: a brief history of the city

Vologda is referred to cities with a particularly valuable historical heritage. In its territory there are more than two hundred architectural and historical-cultural monuments.

When the city was founded, historians do not know exactly, but the first chronicle mention of it dates back to 1147. As for the name of the city, it is most likely that it comes from the Old Vepps word "valgeda". In translation, it means "white". Most likely, we are talking about the whitish shade of water in the local river with the same name.

During the reign of Ivan the Terrible Vologda becomes an important trading center of the country. What is interesting: the first Russian ambassador in England was a resident of Vologda. Here, the tsar ordered the construction of the Vologda Kremlin, which was to be twice as large as Moscow. However, construction work was never completed. According to the legend, when visiting the Sophia Cathedral of the Kremlin, a stone fell on the head of the sovereign. Ivan the Terrible took this as a bad sign and stopped the construction of a grandiose complex in Vologda.

The coat of arms of Vologda and its flag: history and description

At the heart of the city's coat of arms is the classic French shield with a reddish tint at the bottom. In its right part there is a silvery cloud from which the right hand emerges. This hand holds a golden sword and a golden power.

The coat of arms of Vologda was approved in July 1994. In addition to the official, there is also a ceremonial version of the coat of arms, which is additionally decorated with some elements. Firstly, the heraldic shield is supported by two young men in robe and with silver swords in their hands. The shield itself is topped with a large tower crown with five large prongs.

The history of the coat of arms of Vologda is quite interesting. Thus, the date of his birth can be considered 1712, when the above image appeared in the form of the banner of the Vologda military regiment. Some historians claim that the author of this emblem was Peter I. After that, in the whole history of Vologda's existence, its official coat of arms was changed at least six times!

Quite an interesting project was developed and approved in the Soviet era - in 1967. The coat of arms of Vologda in that version was a classic French shield divided by a ribbon with an ornament in two parts - a blue upper and a green lower one. In the center of the coat of arms was depicted elk, in the upper right corner - a rook, and in the lower left - a green spruce. Thus, this project took into account the main features of Vologda, but the main heraldic element - the hand with the sword and power - was ignored.

The flag of Vologda practically does not differ from the coat of arms: the same image on a standard rectangular panel of red color. The author of this variant of the flag, which was officially approved in 2003, was O. Sviridenko.

Semantics of the city coat of arms and the flag

What does the coat of arms of Vologda signify? To answer this question, it is necessary to tell about one interesting legend.

So, it says some Belorussian, who once allegedly rescued Vologda and at the same time perished. According to the legend, the inhabitants hid in their city from the attacks of a powerful enemy army. Enemies surrounded the fortress and prepared for a decisive assault. It seemed that nothing could save the inhabitants of Vologda.

However, a miracle happened: unknown boys descended from heaven, who very quickly sorted out the enemy and rescued Vologda. However, the heroes themselves also died in this battle.

Thus, the image on the city's coat of arms is directly related to this story. The sword in his right hand is a symbol of a fair trial and defense, directly pointing to the legend of the Belorussians. The golden power in hand represents state power. No wonder Tsar Ivan the Terrible intended to turn Vologda into the capital of the state. But the young men in the vestments depicted on the front version of the city's coat of arms are exactly those Belarussian people who saved this city.

Conclusion

Vologda is an attractive city for many tourists in the north-west of Russia, which is famous for its ancient temples and wooden monuments. No less interesting are the symbols of the city - the coat of arms of Vologda and its flag, the semantics of which are associated with curious legends.