The Hungarian capital was founded in 1873 as a result of the merger of three towns, the names of two of them entered the toponym of the main city of the country, and the settlements were clearly more than one century old. The coat of arms of Budapest was approved in the same year, and today it amazes with its solemnity, splendor, and royal regalia.
This heraldic symbol captures the history of the country, the desire to build a strong power, loyalty to monarchical traditions. The palette of the image is defined by rich, noble colors and shades.
Description of the coat of arms of the Hungarian capital
Adhering to the basic rules of the European heraldic tradition, the authors of the sketch of the coat of arms suggested using three main parts for the composition:
- a shield containing certain symbols and signs;
- supporters in the images of a lion and a griffin, standing on their hind legs;
- royal dress, richly decorated with jewels.
The scarlet shield, located in the center of the coat of arms, has a sharp base. It is divided by a silver wavy stripe into two halves, each of which contains an image of a castle, and these images differ from each other.
In the upper half, the golden castle has black windows and one tower rounded at the top. This element symbolizes the architectural masterpiece of Pest, one of the parts of the Hungarian capital. The lock of the same color is located at the bottom of the shield. It has two azure gates and three towers, it is clear that this symbol is already associated with the architecture of the Buda fortress.
It is symbolic that the gates are depicted as open, the windows are wide open, that is, in this way the openness of the city for guests is shown. Although, on the other hand, not cultural monuments of the past were chosen, but complexes of defensive significance, the desire to protect the territories of Hungary is emphasized.
Crown of St. Stephen
The coat of arms of the main symbol of Budapest is crowned with a headdress - this is the Hungarian crown, one of the main symbols of statehood in Hungary. The gold color emphasizes its value, just like the stones. An interesting fact is that the cross on the royal headdress is set obliquely, this is not a whim of the authors of the sketch of the coat of arms, but a direct reference to the very ancient history of the crown.
The same ancient symbols are animals playing the role of supporters on the coat of arms. The lion, one of the most famous elements in heraldry, symbolizes strength, nobility, and the griffin is associated with qualities such as wisdom and protection.
