Looking at the official symbols of the Stavropol Territory, one can draw one remarkable conclusion: the inhabitants of this region love their land, honor and respect their past and present. Both the flag and the coat of arms of the Stavropol Territory reflect the natural, geographical and historical features of this southern region.
Brief introduction to the region
The Stavropol Territory is a region in the southwestern part of Russia, comparable in area to the Netherlands. Most of it is located within the hill of the same name. The region also occupies the foothills of the Greater Caucasus with a maximum point of 1603 meters above sea level. It is here that balneological resorts known throughout the country are located: Kislovodsk, Pyatigorsk, Essentuki and others.
There are few forests in the Stavropol Territory. The most common landscapes in this region are steppe and semi-desert. The largest rivers of the region are distinguished by their unusual names - Kuban, Kuma, Malka, Zolka, Yegorlyk.
The region is home to 2.8 million people. The Stavropol Territory is inhabited by representatives of dozens of different nations - Russians, Ukrainians, Armenians, Azerbaijanis, Greeks, Gypsies, Turkmens and others. In the foothills, Kabardians, Karachais and Abazins live compactly.
The Stavropol Territory stands out for its highly developed industry, in particular, energy. Every year, up to 18 billion kWh of electricity is generated at the region’s power plants. In addition, agriculture, the production of food products and building materials are well developed in the Stavropol Territory.
Coat of arms of the Stavropol Territory
The history, culture and nature of any region, as a rule, is reflected in its official symbols. If we study the regional heraldic symbols of modern Russia, the coat of arms of the Stavropol Territory will be one of the most interesting and original. It was approved relatively recently - May 15, 1997. Although some of its elements were borrowed from the old provincial coat of arms of the sample in 1878.
So, what does the coat of arms of the Stavropol Territory look like today? The general proportions of its sides are 9:11 (height to width). The coat of arms is represented by a shield and a frame consisting of oak leaves (on the left side) and ears of wheat (on the right side). This wreath of plant elements is entwined with the Russian national ribbon-tricolor. On top of the coat of arms is a double-headed eagle - the main figure of the state emblem of Russia.
The shield itself is divided into two fields of equal size. In the upper (blue) field, an old fortress is depicted on a silver hill, to which the road leads. In the lower (blue) part of the shield you can see a schematic image of a map of the region. Moreover, on the left (in place of the city of Stavropol) there is a white cross through which a horizontal line with the signature: “45” passes. This is nothing but the 45th parallel of the northern latitude on which the city of Stavropol stands.
Flag of the Stavropol Territory
The flag of Stavropol has the appearance of a rectangle with a standard aspect ratio (2: 3). A canvas of gold cuts a white cross, slightly offset to the left. In its central part, at the intersection, the coat of arms of the edge, which was described above, is placed.
What is the symbolism of this flag? The choice of the main color for him is quite obvious. Stavropol Territory is a southern sunny region, which has traditionally always been considered an agricultural land. In addition, in heraldry, the golden color also means wealth and affluence. The white color on the flag, in turn, symbolizes the wisdom and peace of the inhabitants of the region.
The cross on the flag of Stavropol also appeared not by chance. After all, it is known that the name of the city of Stavropol is of Greek origin and is translated as “cross city”. In addition, the white cross on the flag reminds us that the center of the Orthodox diocese of the entire North Caucasus is located in this region.
The current flag of the Stavropol Territory was also approved on May 15, 1997.
Coat of arms of the city of Stavropol: description and history
The administrative, economic and cultural center of the region is Stavropol. This city was founded in 1777. And this beautiful date can be seen on his official coat of arms.
The modern coat of arms of Stavropol was approved in June 1994. Although the first (not entirely successful) attempts to develop it were carried out in the middle of the XIX century. The year the city was founded, by the way, was present on the Soviet version of the coat of arms of Stavropol.
The current coat of arms of the city is presented in the form of a classic French shield, framed by a wreath of oak branches. A straight yellow cross divides the shield into four fields. In the upper left part (against a red background) we see elements of the Soviet coat of arms of Stavropol of the 1969 model: the flame of the eternal flame and a fragment of the gear gear. In the upper right part of the shield (on a white background) a Cossack horseman on a horse is depicted. In the lower left part (on a white background) is a drawing of a multi-domed church - as an image of Orthodox Russia. Finally, in the lower right part of the shield (against a green background), you can see a fragment of the fortress wall on a hill, to the gates of which the road leads.
By the way, the fortress and the road depicted on the coat of arms of Stavropol are not accidental at all. In past centuries, the city was the main defensive outpost in southern Russia. And it was through Stavropol that an important path passed, connecting Russia with the Caucasus region.
Finally
The emblem of the Stavropol Territory, perhaps, can be attributed to the number of the most original regional emblems of Russia. It successfully displays the historical and natural-geographical features of the region. The coat of arms of the administrative center of the region, the city of Stavropol, is no less interesting and informative.