The coat of arms of Pereslavl-Zalessky at first glance looks very simple. This ancient city is included in the Golden Ring of Russia. However, on his coat of arms there are no images of domes of ancient churches or other local attractions. The main symbol of the city is extremely concise. It depicts two golden fish swimming towards each other. What does such heraldry mean?
Coat of arms of the 18th century
The first coat of arms of Pereslavl-Zalessky was created back in 1781. In those days, the city was part of Vladimir governorate. Therefore, in the upper part of the coat of arms was depicted a lion with a crown on his head, holding a cross in his paws. This heraldic animal and today is a symbol of the Vladimir region.
The lion in heraldry represents strong power. The image of this animal was a generic sign of Vladimir rulers. The crown is a monarchical symbol, and the cross is an attribute of the Orthodox faith.
At the bottom of the coat of arms were depicted two fish of a golden color on a black background. The city of Pereslavl-Zalessky is located on Lake Pleshcheevo. In the XVI-XVII centuries, a special kind of herring (vendace) was obtained here, which was then brought to Moscow and served at the royal table. Pereslavl herring was considered a rare dish and was famous for its excellent taste. It is this fish that is depicted on the ancient coat of arms of the city of Pereslavl-Zalessky.
Coat of arms of the 20th century
In Soviet times, the old coat of arms was transformed. On it remained the figures of heraldic animals, but without monarchical and religious symbols. On postcards and badges from 1950-1960 you can see the image of a lion without a crown. Instead of a cross, he holds a staff in his paws. The lower part of the coat of arms with fish remained unchanged.
In 1972, the heraldry artist I. B. Purishev created the new coat of arms of Pereslavl-Zalessky. The upper part of the symbol was styled as a film strip. It depicted an old sailing ship. After all, once on the Lake Pleshcheyev Peter I organized a shipyard for his Amusing fleet. This served as the beginning of shipbuilding and navigation in Russia.
The lower part of the coat of arms has remained virtually unchanged. It still depicted two golden herring vendace. However, now they sailed not on black, but on a blue background, which symbolized the azure expanse of Lake Plescheeva. This coat of arms remained a symbol of the city until the early 2000s.
History of the modern coat of arms
In 2001, it was decided to create a new symbol of the city. The author of the project was heraldry artist Konstantin Mochenov. The old coat of arms of Pereslavl-Zalessky in 1782 was taken as the basis. However, it was necessary to reconstruct it for the following reasons:
- The city of Pereslavl-Zalessky is currently included in the Yaroslavl region. It has long been no longer in the Vladimir region. Therefore, the upper part of the coat of arms with a lion , it was decided to completely remove.
- The ancient emblem did not comply with the rules of modern heraldry. Therefore, it was necessary to transform it.
After the work, a new coat of arms was created. It was approved on February 7, 2002.
Description
What does the modern emblem of the city look like? On a black background depicts two fish (vendace) of gold color, located one below the other. If you look closely, then on the black field you can see the ornament in the form of waves. A photo of the coat of arms of Pereslavl-Zalessky can be seen below.
The following versions of the coat of arms are allowed to be reproduced:
- with or without a motto;
- with or without a free part.
If the symbol of the city is reproduced with the motto, then in its lower part is a ribbon of gold color, on which the words "Greatness and Wisdom" are written in black font.
The free part of the coat of arms is a rectangle located in the upper corner. In this area, the coat of arms of the Yaroslavl region can be depicted - a black bear on a gold background holding an ax in his paws. However, this version of the coat of arms is used very rarely.
Value
What does the coat of arms of Pereslavl-Zalessky mean? Two golden vendace in the central part remind of the fishing industry that was once developed in these parts. Today, Pleshcheyevo Lake is still rich in fish and attracts many fishing enthusiasts. The ornament in the form of waves on a black background also symbolizes this pond.
In the color scheme of the coat of arms only two colors are used - gold and black. In heraldry, gold color is considered a symbol of reason, magnanimity and greatness, and black - represents wisdom, prudence, honesty and modesty.
If the coat of arms is reproduced with a ribbon at the bottom, the motto "Greatness and Wisdom" reveals to us the meaning of the two colors of the symbol of the city.
As already mentioned, the reproduction of the coat of arms with the emblem of the Yaroslavl region in the free section is rare. A black bear standing on its hind legs symbolizes the history of this region. According to legend, Prince Yaroslav the Wise cut down a bear here, which the locals lowered on him. In ancient times, these edges were called the "bear angle".
In addition, the bear in heraldry is a sign of courage and strength. The ax in the clutches of the beast represents power and power. The symbol of the Yaroslavl region in the free part of the coat of arms of the city is also made in golden black colors.