In the symbols of cities and republics, as a rule, their key features are always reflected - natural-geographical, historical or economic. And the coat of arms of the Altai Republic is no exception. Let us consider in more detail the symbolism of this region.
Description of the coat of arms of the Altai Republic
Altai is an amazing land with stunning mountain landscapes, deep valleys and canyons, clear waters. There are about seven thousand lakes in the republic! Altai nature is simply mesmerizing with its pristine nature and beauty.
The coat of arms of the Republic of Altai is entered in the Heraldic Register of the country under number 187. The date of his birth can be considered 1993, when it was officially adopted.
The coat of arms of the Altai Republic is very unusual. At its core is a circle of bluish color in gold cut. It depicts Can-Kereda - a griffin with the body of a lion and golden wings. Above it is the peak of Uch Sumera of white color, and the emblem below is decorated with an ornament in which stylistically depicts the two main rivers of Altai - Katun and Biya.
It should be noted that the coat of arms of the Altai Republic has a special semantics. It is no coincidence that it depicts a griffin - the patron saint of nature and animals. It is called upon to perform a special service - to protect the peace and tranquility of the native land. On the coat of arms the natural features of this region are very well displayed. The blue circle is nothing more than the big blue sky of Altai, and in its lower part the waters of the two rivers of the republic, as well as Lake Altyn-Kolya are shown in an interesting way.
Flag of Altai
The modern flag of the Altai Republic was approved in 2003. It is a traditional rectangular canvas, on which there are four horizontal stripes of different thicknesses: the widest one is white at the top, the blue one at the bottom, occupying 1/4 of the flag height. Between them are 2 more thin strips of blue and white (alternate in color).
What is the semantics of this rather unusual flag? Blue stripes are a symbol of rivers, lakes and the clear sky of the republic. White stripes symbolize the region’s desire for prosperity, as well as peace and the complete accord of all nationalities of the republic.
Coats of arms of the cities of the Altai Republic
In the territory of the region there is only one city - Gorno-Altaysk. Only about 60 thousand inhabitants live in it. In addition, in the republic today there are 237 residential rural settlements.
The city of Gorno-Altaysk, of course, has its own coat of arms. It is presented in the form of a French shield, pointed at the bottom in the center. As a rule, this form of the shield is quite typical for the emblems of Russian cities. On the body of the shield are the colors usual for Altai : blue and white.
In the center of the coat of arms are three antiquities: a bow, a spear and a stone ax. These attributes of labor and hunting are not accidental here. Indeed, within Gorno-Altaysk there is an important historical monument - the Upali archaeological site, whose age is about 700 thousand years. This is the main highlight of the city, which is reflected in its heraldry.
In addition, in the corners of the shield are two ancient symbols of sacred significance for the region. In the upper left corner there is a brown-brown symbol, which is traditional for the Slavic ornament. And in the lower right corner there is a white sign, which is typical for Turkic peoples. The presence of both symbols on the emblem of the city symbolizes peace and mutual understanding between primordially different peoples.
Finally...
The emblem and symbolism of any territory should reflect the geographical identity - the key natural or historical features of the region. The Altai Republic is, first of all, pristine and pure nature, which is very successfully embodied in its coat of arms. It should be noted that the key place in the symbolism of the Altai Territory is occupied precisely by the blue color.