The article describes what the coat of arms of Yoshkar-Ola looks like, gives a history of its occurrence and a photo.
The main symbols of the coat of arms
The heraldry of many cities in Russia has undergone many changes over time and historical events. But virtually all modern symbols used in the arms of a city have immediate historical continuity from their predecessors. The coat of arms of Yoshkar-Ola is no exception.
First appearing in 1781 and changing over time, the heraldry of the city acquired a modern look only in June 2011. But the main emblem of the city of Yoshkar-Ola, passing through several centuries, are:
- Elk;
- tower crown;
- Mari ornament;
- azure background.
Description of appearance
However, the modern coat of arms of the city of Yoshkar-Ola is very different from the original. In the central part of the shield a saturated azure color is the image of a powerful adult moose of silver color. Bright golden spots stand out on the body of the animal well-developed horns and hooves. The tower is crowned with a five-toothed crown of the color of gold, in which the national ornament of the Maris of scarlet is gracefully woven.
History: what the first coat of arms looked like
However, the moose was not always the main figure of the coat of arms of the capital of Mari El, although it was constantly present there. Yoshkar-Ola, previously called Tsarevokokshaysk, acquired its first heraldry in 1781 by decree of Catherine II.
The battle shield was divided into two parts. From above, on a white background, a black dragon with a red plumage was depicted, a golden crown flaunted on the bird's head. This lizard has been considered a symbol of Kazan since ancient times. The lower half of the coat of arms was occupied by a young moose on a blue background. The top confirmed the entry of Tsarevokokshaysk into Kazan, and the bottom spoke of the rich nature and fauna that provide residents with food.
USSR period
The coat of arms of Yoshkar-Ola in this form existed for a long time, until the advent of Soviet power. This period was marked for the city by a change of name, and later heraldry. The emblem underwent official changes in 1968 thanks to the efforts of N.V. Ivanova.
In the upper part of the shield on a white background appeared a gold inscription "Yoshkar-Ola." The ornament, which won the national pride of the inhabitants of Mari El, began to be arranged horizontally under the name. Below the shield was divided vertically in half by flowers: the left is blue and the right is red. The color scheme recalls the affiliation of the Mari Republic to the RSFSR. In the upper part of the color background in the center is a snowflake, the center of which is a gear symbolizing the metal industry. Moreover, a snowflake is considered a direct symbol of the engineering plant in the republic, and of course, the severity of the winter climate in the region. At the bottom of the shield is the already familiar figure of a noble and stately elk.
Last changes
Since October 28, 2005, a silver elk appears on the coat of arms of Yoshkar-Ola, whose photo is in the article. The azure background takes precedence. The shield is crowned with a five-toothed tower crown of gold color with a national ornament on the bottom. The authors of this coat of arms are the honored artist Mari El I.V. Efimov and his son, graduate student of the Institute of History of the Academy of Sciences P.I. Efimov.
Depriving the moose of horns, heraldists thereby emphasized the historical continuity from the original source. The fact is that on the very first coat of arms adopted by Catherine II, the animal was more like a teenage calf, who did not have time to get horns. Well, from June 22, 2011, the moose returns to the heraldic shield of Yoshkar-Ola again and remains the main one to this day. No wonder this animal was chosen as the emblem of the city, as it symbolizes strength, prosperity and nobility, and at the same time indicates the natural wealth of the city and the whole region.