Small in size, but proud Baltic state barely survived the years of existence as part of the Soviet Union. Having received the long-awaited independence, it immediately declared its full sovereignty. New official symbols were born, including the coat of arms of Latvia, the flag and the anthem.
At the same time, in relation to the main emblem of the country, one can say, the Latvians acted too diligently, approving the large, small and supplemented small coats of arms. They are distinguished by their colorfulness, complex structure, and the use of national and European symbols.
Main symbols of the Republic of Latvia
Among the main images on the large coat of arms of the country are:
- scarlet lion looking to the left;
- a silver griffin looking to the right;
- rising Sun;
- three stars arranged in an arcuate manner;
- frame in the form of an oak wreath.
Mythological animals appear twice on the large coat of arms, they act as supporters and are present in the field. The shield is divided into three unequal parts, in the lower part are depicted: on the left, in a silver field - a stylized scarlet lion, on the right, on the contrary, in a scarlet field - a silver griffin. The upper part of the shield is azure in color with a rising celestial body, symbolizing the flourishing of Latvia.
The oak wreath is tied with a ribbon, the colors and patterns of which coincide with the national flag of the republic. The small coat of arms of Latvia is a shield with already known images and three stars on top. The supplemented small country symbol has a wreath of oak leaves, but without a ribbon.
Terms of use
The fact that the Republic of Latvia has so many national symbols does not mean at all that they can be used by everyone, everywhere and at will. The law regulates the use of one or another coat of arms. The large coat of arms can be used by the president of the country, the prime minister, parliament, ministries, and other important government bodies. Also, according to the regulations, the presence of this national symbol on the documents of Latvian consular missions abroad is allowed.
The small augmented coat of arms is allowed to be used by various committees or commissions of parliament, ministries, institutions subordinate to them. The small coat of arms is the prerogative of various government agencies, municipal bodies. The progenitor of this national symbol of Latvia is considered to be the coat of arms of the independent Republic of Latvia proclaimed in 1918, since until that time there was no single coat of arms of the country.
