The center of faith on the planet is undoubtedly this small Israeli city, where adherents of different religions flock all year round. It is also in the focus of attention of tourists who do not belong to any of the world confessions, but strive to get acquainted with ancient monuments and shrines. The coat of arms of Jerusalem is the main symbol of the city.
At the same time, it is a municipal emblem that can tell a lot to those who are initiated into the secrets of history. The coat of arms was adopted in 1950 after a competition among designers. The author is Eliyahu Koren, a famous Israeli book designer who works in one of the departments of the Jewish National Fund.
Description of the coat of arms of the holy city
The style of the Jerusalem coat of arms is the first thing that is noted by those who have seen the main heraldic symbol of the city. It looks especially good in a color photo, since the palette, on the one hand, is very simple, only two colors are used, on the other, it looks quite harmonious. The coat of arms of Jerusalem depicts several major and minor elements that play a role, including:
- a lion turned to the right, standing on its hind legs;
- two olive branches framing the main character;
- brick wall in the background;
- an inscription in Hebrew - the name of the city.
The wall symbolizes the Old City, the historic center of Jerusalem, now divided into four quarters corresponding to the main world religions. This is not just a brick fence, but a kind of reference to one of the most famous Israeli cultural and historical sites, the so-called Western Wall.
The olive branches forming the symbolic wreath surrounding the lion are important heraldic symbols. They are used in the images of coats of arms, flags, heraldic signs of many states of the planet and famous surnames. On the coat of arms of Jerusalem - the olive means the desire for peace, the establishment of balance on the planet, a balance between religions and beliefs.
The Lion of Judea is the main symbol
A formidable and predatory animal has long been used in world heraldry. But for the Jews, it has a special meaning. The lion is one of the main symbols of Judaism, a representative of one of the twelve tribes, from which, according to beliefs, the Jews originated.
In addition, the lion is associated with the biblical Judas (Yehuda), who was called "the young lion." The tribe of Judah belonged to the most powerful ancient Israeli families, therefore the appearance of this particular animal on the official emblem of Jerusalem is deeply symbolic.
