Kaunas is the second largest and most important city in Lithuania. It was formed in the 13th century and immediately turned into the western outpost of the country and a stronghold of the struggle against the Teutonic Order. By the 16th century, it had become an important cultural and economic center of the region. However, in such a strategically important position of the city there was also a negative side - the city was destroyed many times. Nevertheless, the inhabitants persistently restored it after the cataclysms, so it still exists today, and only a few ancient monuments remind of its glorious history. You can also learn about the history of the city by examining the coat of arms of Kaunas.
History
Kaunas had several official coats of arms. Initially, a bull was depicted on the coat of arms, over whose back hung the cross of the Teutonic order, which a little later was transformed into Latin and was placed between the horns of the bull.
After the influence of the Russian Empire spread to these lands, and the city was renamed Kovno, an image of a two-headed eagle appeared on the coat of arms of Kaunas, which occupied almost the entire space. Only in the lower part there is a tiny image of a bull with a cross.
In 1915, the Kaunas magistrate again approved the coat of arms with the image of a bull, only unlike the past, it was placed on a red shield. In 1935, the government changed the coat of arms again. Now the composition depicted a silver bison walking along a golden field against a purple background, between the horns of which there was a golden cross.
In 1969, the state symbol was changed again. In this version, the shield was crossed from below and the bison was already on the green field.
Modern coat of arms
The final version was adopted in 1993. It was restored according to old photos and descriptions preserved in the archive. It now contains elements such as a red shield; white round with a golden cross between the horns.
Red is a symbol of courage, courage and bravery, and the very shape of the shield is just a tribute to tradition. Another element of the coat of arms is a tour - a symbol of prosperity, prosperity and fertility. It should be noted that in the European heraldic tradition, the bull is often used, and in a wide variety of variations. The meaning of the cross is also traditional here. First of all, it is a symbol of Christian culture.
