Coat of arms of Cyprus: photo, meaning, description
Coat of arms of Cyprus
The beautiful island, which became the birthplace of Aphrodite and a resort for thousands of Russians and their neighbors, surprises with a complete lack of snobbery in power. If only because the coat of arms of Cyprus surprises with its simplicity and deep symbolism. It is radically different from the official symbols of neighboring states by the absence of royal regalia, mantles and supporters..
Symbols in every element
The main symbol of the island state consists of only three elements, it is extremely simple to remember them, as well as how they are located on the coat of arms. The authors, creators of the logo, used:
- shield in the form of an elongated triangle;
- a dove with an olive branch in its beak;
- two criss-crossing olive branches flanking the shield.
Despite the absence of complex symbols and signs, the Cypriot coat of arms looks very stylish and laconic. For the background of the shield, a copper-yellow color was chosen, which is extremely rarely used in world heraldry. This shade is not pure yellow, gold, according to heraldic traditions. And at the same time, it is not brown, which is used quite actively. This choice is explained by the huge reserves of copper ore in Cyprus, painted in copper-yellow tones..
A dove carrying an olive branch in its beak is a classic, well-known, symbol of peace. The olive branches, located to the right and left of the shield, play the same role. In addition, numbers are written at the bottom of the shield «1960», which indicate the year Cyprus gained independence from Britain.
A short excursion into Cypriot history
The blessed lands of Cyprus became the center of attraction for close and distant neighbors who dreamed of capturing the island. The British especially liked him. The first invasion of guests from Foggy Albion happened back in 1192, when an army appeared here under the command of the great commander, King Richard the Lionheart..
Then the king transferred the ownership of the island to Guy de Lusignan, an equally famous historical character who became the Signor of Cyprus. This is how the Kingdom of Cyprus emerged, which existed for three centuries and had a real royal coat of arms. The main emblem was depicted using symbols: Cyprus, the Lusignan dynasty, Jerusalem, Cilicia.
With the second coming of the British, this time in 1878, the coat of arms of Cyprus changed its appearance. The central place on the shield was taken by a formidable lion, at the bottom there was a ribbon with the name of the island, at the top - the British crown. After gaining independence, a new symbol was introduced, which clearly testifies to the peaceful policy of the young state..