Residents of the capital of Ukraine are proud of the main official symbol of their city. Firstly, it has a deep meaning, and secondly, in the light of recent events in this country, it is also very relevant. Thirdly, the coat of arms of Kiev is beautiful and laconic, looks great on any color photos and illustrations.
Description of the capital symbol
The Kiev City Council approved the official symbol of the capital in April 1995. Despite the repeated change of power in the country and in Kiev itself, the city's coat of arms remains unchanged, as well as the deep meaning inherent in it.
The central place on the shield of the French form is occupied by the figure of the Archangel Michael, who is the embodiment of good, light, forces. He acts as a kind of defender of the capital from an external enemy carrying evil and destruction. The authors of the sketch clearly traced the smallest details of the attire of the protagonist, for example, you can see the following items of clothing and weapons:
- white princely shirt;
- silver armor;
- a scarlet cloak thrown over his shoulder and fastened with a golden brooch;
- a fiery sword in his right hand;
- silver with gold shield in the left hand.
The archangel's armament also has its symbolic meaning, as the sword is positioned as a symbol of protection, a shield with a round shape and the image of a golden cross in the center is associated with light forces and the Christian faith. The image of the main character is complemented by angelic wings in white with gold stripes and a symbol of holiness - a golden halo.
Through the pages of history
Archangel Michael, since the reign of Vladimir Monomakh, was often found in the symbolism of the state and its individual cities. On the princely seals, which date back to the XII-XIII centuries, you can see this character, he is depicted not just standing, but striking a snake.
According to legends, the serpent fighter was a symbol of the great Kiev even in pre-Christian times. A hundred years after the baptism of Rus, the Mikhailovsky Golden-Domed Monastery appeared in Kiev, which was erected under the leadership of Svyatopolk Izyaslavich.
In 1494, Kiev received the so-called Magdeburg Law, at the same time the heraldic symbol of the city appeared, but not a single image of it has yet been revealed. And the oldest seal of Kiev dates back to 1500. True, it depicted a right hand with a bow and arrow appearing from a cloud (today some Russian cities and regions have such a coat of arms).
The official approval of the coat of arms of Kiev with the image of the Archangel Michael took place in June 1782. But for another two centuries, the people of Kiev continued to use the old heraldic symbol.
