The beautiful capital of Lithuania during its long life has witnessed many great events, fulfilled the mission of the capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, was a center of attraction for Lithuanians, Belarusians, Poles and Jews. The historical center, the so-called Old Town, still preserves the memory of the great people who lived and worked here, and the coat of arms of Vilnius tells about more distant times.
The symbolic meaning of the elements of the coat of arms
The main heraldic sign of the Lithuanian capital has a rather complex compositional structure. Scientists in the field of heraldry note one oddity - the shield holders depicted on the coat of arms are much larger in size than the shield they hold, which is quite rare. That is, these characters are assigned the same important role as the elements located in the center.
First of all, the following components can be distinguished on the main official symbol of Vilnius:
- a scarlet shield with the image of Saint Christopher carrying a little Jesus on his shoulder;
- supporters in the form of two female figures;
- laurel wreath crowning the composition;
- the motto written on the tape at the bottom.
Each of the fragments is decomposed into smaller parts, which are also important. For example, Saint Christopher only carries Christ on his shoulder and fords the river. The women, located on both sides of the shield, not only support this shield: one of them holds the fascia of the lictors, and the second holds the scales, a symbol of justice, an anchor is located at her feet.
The laurel wreath occupies a worthy place in the coat of arms, acts as a symbol of victory over external enemies, which Lithuania and Vilnius had plenty of. Any color photo will emphasize that the wreath is tied with ribbons painted in the colors of the state flag of the Republic of Lithuania.
Historical meaning
Experts call the founding year of Vilnius - 1323, and seven years later the urban settlement had its own coat of arms. According to the versions of historians, until the XIV century, the main heraldic symbol of the city was depicted in a different way. It is believed that the central place was occupied by Alcis, a character of Lithuanian mythology, who carried his beloved wife, Yanterite, across the river. After the spread of the Christian religion in these lands, the coat of arms was rethought.
Another interesting fact is that the coat of arms of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania "Pursuit" began to fulfill the mission of the official symbol of Vilnius when the city became part of the Russian Empire (introduced in 1845). In 1990, after gaining independence, residents first of all returned the city's historical coat of arms, thereby emphasizing loyalty to traditions and pride in its history.
