The coat of arms of Vilnius: history, description and meaning

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:54

The modern emblem of Vilnius is associated with the Christian religion, its main figures are Jesus and St. Christopher. However, there is an opinion that earlier characters of pagan myths were depicted on it. What does the coat of arms of Vilnius symbolize now? What is its history, and what did previous versions look like?

The capital of Lithuania

Vilnius is the main city of the Republic of Lithuania. By European standards, it is quite large. With a population of 545 thousand people, it ranks second among the B altic cities. It has been known in history since 1323, although it most likely existed earlier.

It immediately became the capital of the Principality of Lithuania, and in the 16th century it was considered the center of culture and science. Vilnius survived epidemics, at least five big fires and was looted and heavily destroyed by Russian troops with Cossacks several times.

It still retains the status of the most important city in the country. Now Vilnius is the largest financial, transport, economic and tourist center of the country, which is visited annually by about a million people.

Coat of arms of Vilnius: description

ActiveThe city coat of arms has two versions. One is represented only by a shield, on the other, extended, there are shield holders and a motto around it. The small coat of arms of Vilnius is a red Spanish heraldic shield rounded at the bottom, in the center of which there are white figures of saints.

Saint Christopher is depicted as a strong muscular man with a beard. He is barefoot, but is wearing a cape. In his hands he holds a golden staff, at the end of which is a double cross. The saint leans on it as he walks along the river, depicted as wavy white lines.

On the left shoulder of St. Christopher sits a little Jesus. Above his head is a golden halo, in his left hand he holds a ball with a golden crown and a cross - orb. His right palm is raised, index, middle and thumb pointing up, the rest are folded to the palm.

On the large coat of arms of Vilnius, next to the shield, there are two girls dressed in gray-green clothes. They are much larger than him, which is not too typical for the heraldic tradition. To the left of the viewer, the girl holds the fasciae of the lictors, the girl on the right holds the scales in her hand, and there is an anchor at her feet. With their free hands, they hold a wreath over the shield, tied with three ribbons of yellow, red and green.

The girls stand on three ribbons connected by a yellow rope. Each ribbon has a word written on it, and together they form the motto: "Unity, Justice, Hope".

The meaning of the coat of arms

Each symbol on the coat of arms of the city of Vilnius is there for a reason. They all carry their own meaning.and some are connected not only with Lithuania, but also with world traditions. So, the generally accepted symbol is fascia. These are birch or elm rods tied into a bundle and an ax tied to them. They signify unity, justice and state power.

Another symbol of justice from the coat of arms of Vilnius is scales. These attributes are often depicted together. The anchor at the feet of the girl holding the scales is a symbol of hope. Thus, all three postulates, illuminated in the motto of the coat of arms, are embodied. The three ribbons on the wreath are in the colors of the country's flag.

Saint Christopher is often depicted with a baby on his shoulder. According to legend, he was of enormous growth and dreamed of serving Christ. The holy hermit told him first to settle by the river and help people cross it. One day, a boy turned out to be Jesus with such a request. After that, the giant was baptized, giving him the name Christopher, which means "carrying Christ."

The staff of the saint ends with a double cross, denoting the cross on which Jesus was crucified. This symbol is also present on the coat of arms of Lithuania. Since 1386, it has been the main element in the heraldry of the royal Jagiellonian dynasty. The right hand of Christ is raised in a gesture of blessing.

History

It is believed that the emblem of Vilnius appeared in the XIV century, in 1330, shortly after the founding of the city. Saint Christopher and Jesus were depicted in his heraldry even then. In addition to the coat of arms, they were present on city seals.

From 1795 until the FirstWorld War II, Lithuania becomes part of the Russian Empire. During this period, a rider running on a horse was depicted on the coat of arms. It has been approved since 1845 and has been the main symbol of the city for more than a hundred years, until in 1990 the local authorities established the former, historical coat of arms of Vilnius.

Giant Alcis

There is a version that Christian saints were not always symbols of the city. Some historians argue that earlier seals depict the legendary Alcis with his wife Yaterinte, and not Saint Christopher and the baby Jesus at all.

Giant Alcis or Alkida are famous heroes of Lithuanian folklore who have accomplished many feats. According to one of the tales, he defeated the dragon and saved the beautiful princess from him, who became his wife. It was her that he carried across the stormy Vilnius River.

After the adoption of Christianity, pagan heroes became irrelevant and some characters replaced others. However, the version is not official, many believe that the historian Narbut invented it already in the 19th century.

Rider on horseback

The presence of a rider on the coat of arms does not cause disputes. This story is called the chase. It was widespread in Europe and was used in the heraldry of Belarus, Ukraine, Poland and Russia. The knight on a running horse is still the main figure on the coat of arms of Lithuania.

The red emblem of Vilnius depicted a horseman in blue and gray tones. With one hand he held on to the reins, with the other he waved over his head, while holding a sword. A double patriarchal cross was placed on the knight's shield.

The popularity of the plot is fully explained by the realities of that time. In the conditions of constant wars and struggle for power, horsemanship and possession of weapons were considered one of the most important skills. Starting from the XII century, "Pursuit" was present on the seals of the princes of Opole, Bordichi, Lutichi and other Slavs.