The renaming that affected many Russian cities during the Soviet period sometimes creates difficulties in finding information about settlements or their heraldic symbols. For example, the coat of arms of Ulan-Ude was approved by the local authorities in 1998, but this does not mean that there has never been an official symbol before. Naturally, there was, but the city then had the name Verkhneudinsk. And the first heraldic symbol was received by him in 1790 according to the decree of Catherine II.
Description of the coat of arms of Ulan-Ude
Since the appearance of the first heraldic symbol of this settlement, the emblem has two important elements that have deep symbolic meaning:
- emerald, overturned, turned to the right (for the viewer) cornucopia, and filled with greenery and fruits;
- figured wand of Mercury in black.
Throughout history, other elements appeared and disappeared on the emblem of Ulan-Ude, for example, the image of a running babr holding a sable in his teeth, or the Soyombo sign, an important symbol in the Buryat culture.
The modern coat of arms of the city consists of a golden shield with the cornucopia and the rod of Mercury, as if crossing each other. Above the shield is a golden tower crown (four prongs and decoration along the rim are visible). The precious headdress of the monarchs is adorned with the golden soyembo symbol.
Below the shield is an azure sash, beautifully decorated and associated with the important date of the city's awarding with the Order of the Red Banner of Labor. This event took place in 1984 before the coat of arms of the modern city was adopted. Now the ribbon is adorned with a heraldic symbol, recalling the glorious traditions in the history of Ulan-Ude.
From the history of the symbol
The first coat of arms of Verkhneudinsk appeared in 1790; it was decorated with a cornucopia and the rod of Mercury, the famous ancient Greek god of trade. The appearance of these two symbols is due to the fact that fairs began to be organized in the city in 1786. Very soon the settlement gained fame in the Russian Empire as a major center of trade.
According to the heraldic rules of that time, the coat of arms of the governorship (in this case, Irkutsk) was located in the upper part, in whose subordination the city was. That is why a babr was depicted in the upper half of the shield holding a marten in his teeth.
There is another interesting symbol of great importance - soyombo. This important element is a "guest" from the coat of arms of the Republic of Buryatia.
