It is strange that the coat of arms of Astrakhan, in addition to the azure color of the shield, associated with the great Volga and river riches, does not remind of its advantageous geographical position by any other elements. But the symbols on the shield can tell a lot to a person familiar with the history of the city and the region.
The modern official symbol of this Russian regional center is based on the historical coat of arms, a description of which has been found in documents since 1856.
Main elements and colors
Any color photo of the heraldic symbol of Astrakhan seems very stylish and laconic. The elements depicted on it refer to the depths of history, the times of difficult relationships between the indigenous inhabitants of the Astrakhan territories and Russian guests, who gradually became the owners.
At the heart of the city's coat of arms is a traditional azure shield of the French form, the most popular in Russian heraldry. The shield depicts two symbolic elements that carry the main semantic and symbolic load:
- a gold crown resembling a royal headdress;
- an oriental sword of silver color with a gold hilt.
The crown is not depicted schematically, but rather realistically, with multiple details drawn. So, for example, a green lining is visible from above, the wrong side, on the contrary, is scarlet. The precious headpiece is adorned with gems and pearls, and a golden cross completes the composition on top. The sword also has a clearly drawn handle, the edged weapon itself is directed to the right side (from the point of view of heraldry), and for the viewer - to the left.
Symbols of the coat of arms of Astrakhan
In 1556, as a sign of the annexation of the Astrakhan kingdom to the Russian state, local governors, who were of Russian origin, began to depict the crown on their seals. The Astrakhan kingdom, in general, and Astrakhan, in particular, had a special mission - the protection of the borders of Russia. The city itself played the role of a border fortress guarding the mouth of the Volga, one of the main waterways of the country.
Initially, a naked saber was depicted on the heraldic symbol of the city. It was later replaced with an oriental sword. This is another symbol of protection, defense of the southern borders of Russia. The symbolic meaning is that an oriental sword was depicted on the coat of arms, which subtly pointed to the source of danger, that is, to the states located east of Russia.
Interestingly, the city's coat of arms is identical to the heraldic symbol of the Astrakhan region, which has another important element. Above the shield is the so-called Astrakhan hat, richly decorated with gold and precious stones.
