The coat of arms of Kiev is the main heraldic symbol of the Ukrainian capital. When was it approved? Who is depicted on it, in what areas is it possible to use? You will find answers to these questions in our article.
Kiev is the oldest city in Europe
The mother of Russian cities - so often called the capital of Ukraine. It is one of the oldest settlements in Europe. Throughout its history, the city of Kiev has served as the capital of seven state formations: from Kievan Rus to modern independent Ukraine.
The cultural, political, scientific and Orthodox center of the country is located on both banks of the Dnieper River. In terms of population, it is second only to five cities in Europe. The city of Kiev has its official symbols - coat of arms, flag and anthem. Further, we will focus on the Kiev coat of arms and its history. Let's get acquainted with this symbol.
Coat of arms of Kiev and its history
The oldest image of the Kiev coat of arms has survived to the present day and is dated to 1480. From this moment until the end of the XVIII century, as historians say, the emblem of the city of Kiev changed at least five times. Almost every of them featured a bow (later a crossbow).
During the time of the Russian Empire, Kiev received its new coat of arms, which is still used today. It depicted (against an azure background) the Archangel Michael - a famous biblical character. The coat of arms was approved in 1782, and the sculpture of the patron saint of Kiev now adorns the Independence Square.
During the short era of the existence of the UPR, in 1917-1919, a new version of the coat of arms was developed for the capital of the republic. On it all the same archangel Michael held a shield in his hands with the image of the trident of Vladimir the Great - the modern coat of arms of Ukraine.
The Soviet government approved a new emblem for the capital of the Ukrainian SSR. On a red-blue background, a flowering chestnut branch was depicted, as well as a silver bow. The coat of arms was crowned with the main Soviet symbol, the hammer and sickle, and a golden star was depicted below, indicating that Kiev has the status of a hero city. Also, the inscription "Kiev" was applied to it. On the whole, the Soviet version absolutely did not comply with the heraldic rules and looked more like an emblem than a coat of arms.
In 1995, according to the relevant decision of the Kiev Council, the emblem of the times of the Russian Empire was returned to the city with the archangel Michael on the shield. He is considered the patron saint of the city.
Coat of arms of Kiev: modern description
The modern coat of arms of Kiev has the following description: the blue shield depicts Archangel Michael in a silver robe and with a golden halo. He holds a golden sword in his right hand and an oval shield in his left.
The coat of arms has an unusual shape: it is not pointed downwards, as usual, but smoothly rounded. From above it is crowned with a golden stone crown with three prongs.
In addition to the main city, each of the administrative districts of the city of Kiev also has its own coat of arms. And six of them also depict the archangel Michael.
Using the city coat of arms
May 27, 1995 the updated coat of arms of Kiev was solemnly installed on the building of the city hall. According to the relevant provision, it must be installed:
- on the facade of the building of the Kiev city administration;
- in the session hall of the Kiev City Hall;
- in the halls and premises where official meetings or negotiations of the Kiev chapter are held;
- on the facades of the railway, river and bus station;
- at the main entrances to the capital (at special stands).
In all other cases, it can be used only with the permission of the head of the Kiev City Council.
A stamp image is also applied on the official flag of the city. We will tell you a little about him.
Kiev flag
The modern flag of the city was also approved in May 1995. The blue rectangular panel depicts Archangel Michael, the patron saint of Kiev. In one hand he holds a golden sword, in the other - an oval shield. The flag cloth is edged with a yellow frame and has standard sizes (aspect ratio - 2: 3).
In March 2009, the appearance of the Kiev flag was slightly changed. The main difference was that the blue panel depicted the archangel Michael with a sword and crossbow, crowned with a golden brick crown (as on the coat of arms of the city).
Finally...
Now you know who is depicted on the coat of arms of Kiev - the official symbol of the Ukrainian capital. This is the archangel Michael - a famous character found in Christianity, Judaism and Islam. The modern coat of arms of Kiev was approved in 1995.