Poles can be justifiably proud that their state symbols are the oldest in Europe. Over the centuries, the coat of arms of Poland has undergone only minor changes, in essence it has become a symbol of the stability of the political course chosen by the legendary Lyakh.
White eagle - a symbol of a strong state
The central place on the coat of arms of Poland is the eagle. The bird is depicted in white with a golden beak and claws, on its head there is a crown, apparently made of the same precious metal. The general background of the coat of arms is red.
The appearance of this state symbol is recorded in official documents. Article 28 of the Constitution of the Republic of Poland, approved in 1997, gives a detailed description of the coat of arms, primary and secondary colors, the place of the eagle, which is the central figure, the position of the wings, paws, and the turn of the bird's head.
Legendary symbol
Historians claim that the image of an eagle appeared on Polish coins as early as the 10th century. Although, according to legends and legends, the appearance of the eagle as the main symbol of the Polish state or Polish territories has deeper roots.
The Poles call their ancestor Lyakha, a legendary historical character. Tradition says that it was he who saw the beautiful eagle regally sitting on the branch of a tree. The events took place in the evening, the bird was illuminated by the red light of the setting sun, and the spectacle was stunningly beautiful and solemn.
Poles claim that the events described in numerous legends took place in the vicinity of the city of Gniezno. In their opinion, it was the great Lyakh who contributed to the founding of the settlement, the name of which translates as a nest.
Official history
Some scholars do not accept such a beautiful legend, trying to substantiate the appearance of an eagle on the coat of arms of Poland with real facts from the history of the country. It is believed that the bird officially began to be used as a state symbol in the 13th century. In 1295, Przemysl II was crowned, and a beautiful bird of prey became his personal mark. A hundred years later, the image of the bird takes the place of the state symbol. Then there were changes related to the formation of various states on the territory of modern Poland:
- The princely and royal dynasty of Piast had a coat of arms with the image of an eagle, a simple and powerful symbol.
- At the time of the Commonwealth, the coat of arms of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania "Pursuit" was added to the eagle.
- On the official symbol of the Kingdom of Poland, the eagle was located against the background of the coat of arms of the Russian Empire.
- The Polish People's Republic (1944 - 1990) managed to save the eagle, although it was deprived of the crown.
Since 1997, the main symbol of the Polish state - a snow-white eagle with golden claws and beak - has again been crowned with a golden crown.
