Examining carefully the coat of arms of Vologda, this beautiful Russian city, an outside viewer notices one strange detail that makes the heraldic symbol unique, and therefore memorable: the shield depicts a hand emerging from a snow-white cloud, in European heraldry this color corresponds to the precious silver.
Description of the Vologda coat of arms
A color photo, illustration or traditional description represents the four main elements present on the heraldic emblem of Vologda:
- a French-shaped shield with its own symbolic elements;
- supporters in the form of charming golden-haired youths;
- a green base, along the edge of which there is a ribbon corresponding to the Soviet award, the Order of the October Revolution;
- the crown crowning the composition in the form of a stone fortress with five towers.
Each of these elements consists of smaller details that make the heraldic symbol of Vologda very magnificent, rich, solemn. The scarlet shield depicts the so-called right hand, which holds a silver sword with a golden hilt and a golden orb, a symbol of power.
Shield holders are young men dressed in long silvery robes resembling robes, gold undershirts and shoes of the same color. Each of them holds a shield with one hand, the other holds a silver sword with a golden hilt.
From the history of the heraldic sign of Vologda
For the first time, the image of the golden right hand appears on the banner of the Vologda regiment in 1712. True, at that time the hand was holding a laurel branch resting on a power, and a crooked saber. Around this emblem was a decorative frame decorated with silver bows, a golden curtain and a similar golden palm branch. There was also a kind of motto that explained the choice of such symbols and colors, where the main concepts were "victory", "glory", "battle".
The first official symbol of the city appeared in 1730, along with many other coats of arms of Russian cities. The description indicated that the field of the shield was red (scarlet), the orb was golden, the sword was white with a golden hilt.
50 years later, the coat of arms of the Vologda governorship was approved, where there was a small addition - the right hand (moreover, the right hand) was in a green robe, and the sword became silver. Interestingly, the heraldic symbol of the Vologda province had the same shield, but surrounded by a wreath of oak leaves intertwined with the Andreevskaya ribbon, and crowned with an imperial crown.
