Reykjavik is the capital of Iceland and at the same time one of its few cities with a population of over 20 thousand people. According to tourists, it can be walked along and across in literally half a day. However, there is everything you need for a comfortable life, including restaurants, cafes, entertainment centers, as well as museums and other cultural facilities.
Reykjavik has its own specialty - pools filled with hot water from mineral springs. So here you can take very interesting photos of water procedures against the background of permafrost and snow caps. The houses of the residents of the city, by the way, are heated from the same source.
Today the city embodies satiety and serenity, but this idyll was not always here. Several centuries ago, life in this region was difficult and full of dangers, and the history of the city is very turbulent and eventful. And part of it can be told by the coat of arms of Reykjavik.
History of the coat of arms
The official coat of arms was approved here not so long ago - only in 1953, but the city itself existed in the 10th century. Until the 13th century, it served as a refuge for Celtic and Norwegian settlers, and after the power of the Norwegian kings was consolidated in Reykjavik, it became an important trade and economic center of the region.
However, its existence almost ceased in 1627, when the city was completely destroyed by pirates. Fortunately, the surviving residents did not want to leave their homes and rebuilt Reykjavik.
After that, nothing particularly outstanding happened in the city until the 20th century, when, thanks to new technologies, its rapid growth began. By the end of World War II, Iceland gained independence, and Reykjavik became the capital, so its status simply obliged it to approve its own coat of arms as soon as possible, which soon happened.
Description of the coat of arms
The composition looks rather laconic and consists of:
- a blue colored shield;
- zigzag lines representing waves and coastlines;
- two silver stripes symbolizing the masts of the ship.
The blue-painted shield, traditionally for Europe, denotes the honesty and generosity of the city's inhabitants. However, historians are also inclined to believe that in a particular case, he can personify the expanses of water surrounding the city.
The lines depicting waves and shores are a direct reference to the features of the area where the city is located. The stylized masts are also a symbol directly related to the history of the city. According to the authors of the composition themselves, these masts are a reference to Ingolf Arnarson, who, according to legend, arrived on these lands on a two-masts and founded the first large settlement on the site of Reykjavik.
