The coat of arms of Omsk - a reflection of the history of the country

In the symbolism of the coat of arms of Omsk as a mirror reflects the history of our country. Ancient city, created in 1716, remembers the Empress Catherine the Great, on whose Decree the first official symbol of the city was approved in 1785. In order to streamline the administrative system, Catherine ordered to assign arms to cities that play a significant role in the economy and geopolitics of the country. So, in the same year, the Charter was issued, which officially approved the status of Omsk as a district city.

History of the arms of Omsk

At the top of the emblem was a golden pyramid - a symbol of success and wealth. It is located on a blue background, which symbolizes the merger of the rivers Om and Irtysh. The pyramid is decorated with military symbols: bent banners, halberds and drums - signs of military valor and glory. Siberian cities had sometimes to be won from rebellious khans. The lower part of the gray color shows the orange color itself, as the strengthening of the Russian state in Siberia. The heraldic shield of the glorified French form is the most common in Russian heraldry. The type of coat of arms, divided by a horizontal strip into two colors, is called crossed. It is this form and type that characterize the coat of arms of Omsk. This symbol lasted a long time. In 1973, a new coat of arms was approved, which showed the industrial power of the city. It is interesting that the imperial official symbol survived quite a long time in the Soviet period, despite the fact that red banners and halberd could be emblems of the enemies of Soviet power, the city where the rate of the Supreme Ruler of Russia in the years of the bloody civil war was AV Kolchak.

In the period of the USSR

The Soviet heraldic sign depicted the wealth of the city: a developed industry (a gear in the center of the coat of arms), a rich Siberian land yielding a plentiful harvest (golden ears woven with a gear), a high level of development of petrochemical science (a bulb filled with oil). In the arms are also present the date of the creation of the city, its name and the scheme of the ancient fortress, located at the confluence of rivers.

Attempt to create a new coat of arms

During the heightened interest in the native history and its active revision, a new coat of arms was created in Omsk. It was approved in 1995. The French shield, crowned with a crown, is divided into four parts by a cross of yellow color, which means the middle position of the city in relation to the West-East and North-South. The blue ribbon symbolizes the river edge. At the base of the cross lies the scheme of the ancient fortress of Omsk. Inside the fortress the symbol of the Trans-Siberian Railway. The heraldic shield is surrounded by a laurel wreath, which is wrapped in red ribbon - a symbol of victories and glory.

In 2002, there was an attempt to restore the imperial coat of arms, but it was not included in the register of Russian heraldry. Repeatedly, until 2007, attempts were made to modernize and modify the symbol, as a result, the coat of arms changed radically.

Description of innovations

By the decision of the city council № 221 from 16.04.2014 the updated coat of arms of Omsk was installed. The description pretentiously reads: "In the silver field rises a scarlet black wall with small, but distinctly visible triangular bastions. The shield itself is pretentiously crowned with a gold tower crown about equivalent five teeth, carefully surrounded by a hoop with a golden laurel wreath, and is framed to the top with a ribbon of the Order of the Red Banner of Labor. Unconventional and shield holders: the fusilier of the infantry regiments of the times of Peter the Great himself and the Siberian Cossack in uniform and arms of the second half of the XVIII century. The foot: a green land, generously overgrown with grass and silver feather grass. The motto: "this is the main fortress" is inscribed with scarlet letters on the silver ribbon ".

Are there any new options?

An amazing impression is created by the spectator of the emblem of the city of Omsk. Photos of this symbol are very diverse. You can meet even the options that were considered as projects and were not officially approved. However, the last image of the heraldic symbol causes, to put it mildly, bewilderment. The main emphasis is put on the fortress, which in the new coat of arms occupies the central part of the picture. It is clear that under Catherine II this was an advantage and merit of the city - an outpost in the Siberian kingdom. Why modern compilers decided to perpetuate this long-obsolete advantage is unknown. Usually the townspeople painted on their coat of arms distinctive signs or any advantages. If you study the history of the city by successive symbols, you can easily notice how its value changes, merit is lost. Now it's just a fortress, the main Catherine the Great, which does not stand out especially against the background of the Siberian taiga. The rich historical heritage is lost in favor of the official unity of style. In addition, the coat of arms of Omsk can be used in the form of a single shield. Then it turns out quite a sad picture in the form of a lonely red strip across the white background, unknown from where it came and it is not known why it appeared. Criticism of the new Omsk symbol may force officials to review it and return to the first coat of arms given by Catherine II. This will underscore the historic advantage of the city and return it a certain flair of sublimity and invincibility.