Mogilev's coat of arms: history of appearance and meaning

Mogilev is one of the most ancient cities of the Republic of Belarus. Taking its origin from the previously built castle of Leo the Mighty, the prince of those lands, he settled on the banks of the Dnieper. It stands on three hills-pillars, which are still called as old: Gvozdovka, Mashekovka and Grave. For the history of its existence, the coat of arms of Mogilev was changed three times. Consider it, as well as the symbols of the city today and their significance.

1577

This year, January 28, received its first coat of arms in the city of Mogilev, Belarus. Although the town itself has been developing its history since 1267, the Lithuanian prince S. Batory officially granted his city to self-government.

Pictured on a blue background was a white tower with closed gates, standing on the green grass. They put a seal with this image on all outgoing documents, and until the 1630s. And on products produced in the city. The presence of such a seal on any product is a sign of the highest quality. And merchants from Mogilev became known both in European countries and in Moscow. The city was rich and flourishing, which means that there were those who wanted to win it.

1661 year

It was the first of February this year that Mogilev rebelled against the Russian tsar, at that time Alexei Mikhailovich ruled, and drove people from their lands of occupants. In early June, the mayor was granted the last king of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Jan II Casimir, a diploma, where the new coat of arms of Mogilev was described.

On the azure shield of the Baroque type, the towers are of silver color (three pieces), the gates of the central tower are not closed, there is a knight in full ammunition (probably this is Levanovich himself, who called the city for an uprising), armed with a sword. And above the gate is an image of the recognized heraldic symbol of ON "Pursuit".

The townspeople proudly rose to defend their city under this symbol. This version of the coat of arms will later become the modern symbol of the city, but before that many times the land of Belarus will change its rulers, more than once will be saturated with the blood of the river and lake, many sons will fall for their homeland.

1781 year

Rzeczpospolita fell apart, and most of its lands in Russia, including Mogilev with its surroundings, moved away. September 16, 1781 on the decree of the Senate again changed the coat of arms of Mogilev. To show Russia's identity, they replaced the knight with a sword (it is clear, fresh still the memory of the insurrection) on the eagle of the imperial double-headed, which was placed on top of a yellow background, and below left a rider armed against the background of scarlet - a symbol of the former coat of arms "Pahonya".

Modern Symbols

Belarus is becoming a republic of the USSR, but it does not forget its past. After all, now the city of Mogilev is Belarus.

They remember the history of their inhabitants, are proud of it, and the Mogilev administration decides to make the emblem of 1661 exactly the symbol. And on 03.01.2005 the decree number one of the President of the Republic of Belarus A. Lukashenko affirms the symbolism of the city:

Today, the coat of arms of Mogilev can be described as follows: on the baroque shield, painted in the color of the sky, the greenery at the bottom is spread out, there are three towers made of cobblestones in it, painted in silver. At the central - the gate is not closed, and in front of them stands a silver-clad knight in armor and a sword naked above him. Above his head is a shield, in a scarlet blood color painted, round in shape, with a picture of a rider, a sword and a shield equipped.

Flag of Mogilev - a rectangular white cloth with a ratio of one to two sides, and the center of the coat of arms is placed.

The color of the azure always meant that the owner's thoughts and feelings are sublime. In heraldry it is a very traditional color. Bottom green means believing in the best, hope for the growth of well-being.

The three towers symbolize three divine hypostases and mean elevation. There is another interpretation of the three towers, so symbolically depicts the three hills on which the city is built. The open gate is a symbol of the fact that anyone can enter Paradise, and Mogilev never closed the gates before the good guests.

The knight standing in front of the gate, is interpreted as follows: the guests here will be only happy, but the enemies will be repelled. The history of the city more than once confirmed this. An uncountable number of times the inhabitants of Mogilev heroically defended him from encroachments. The sword over your head will always remind you of the tragedies that have been experienced.

"Pursuit" (and this is what the rider on horseback is called armed) is the official coat of arms of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. And Mogilev was part of this principality, had the same rights as the capital, and appeared as the eastern gate.

The scarlet color, on which the "Pursuit" is placed is a symbol of nobility. Silver color - a symbol of purity, morality and decency. The coat of arms and the flag are a reflection of the history of the city, its traditions and moral principles of the inhabitants of Mogilev. It is not for nothing that this variant of the coat of arms was chosen as the symbol.