Coat of arms of Mogilev
All regional centers of Belarus today have the main official symbols. Someone received the coat of arms during the time of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania simultaneously with Magdeburg law, others during the time of the Russian Empire. The very first coat of arms of Mogilev was awarded to the city from the hands of Stefan Batory himself.
Three coats of arms of Mogilev
Throughout its history, this regional center of modern Belarus has managed to change three heraldic symbols. The first was granted along with the right to self-government in 1577. Its description is quite simple - an azure shield and a high tower «moored», which means «stone». All documents of the city magistrate were certified with a seal bearing this image. In addition to official papers, the drawing was used by local artisans, who applied it to their products as «quality mark» products.
The second coat of arms appeared in 1661 thanks to King Jan Casimir, the symbol is close to the modern image, in which there are: three silver towers; a knight in silver armor standing in the open gates of the central tower; an armed silver rider at the top of the central tower on a red shield. The shield itself is baroque in azure color, the lower part of it is painted in green..
The third version of the coat of arms appeared already in the 19th century, after annexation to the Russian Empire. Then the armed rider known as the symbol «Chase», was replaced by a two-headed eagle. This coat of arms was valid for a very short time..
Symbols of the modern coat of arms
Today, the main symbol of the regional center is fully consistent with the historical coat of arms that has been in effect since the middle of the 17th century. The color of the shield is azure - in heraldry it symbolizes heaven, lofty thoughts and feelings, greatness. It is considered the traditional background color for the official symbols of states and cities in Europe. The green color present at the bottom of the shield is a symbol of life, wealth, renewal. Among the Eastern Slavs, he was associated with such human qualities as trust and honor..
The coat of arms of Mogilev is a combination of military and religious symbols. On the one hand, the towers act as part of the fortress that protects the city, on the other, they are interpreted as a symbol of the Trinity. There are other versions of the appearance of three towers on the coat of arms of the city, associated, for example, with the construction of the castle by Prince Lev Galitsky or with the three hills on which Mogilev was founded.
