The coat of arms of Pskov: history and description

Since ancient times, this city has become the shield of Russian land in the north-west of the country. For a long history, he sustained such a huge number of sieges, that the prowess of the defenders of this fortress began to be explained, among other things, by the protection of the heavenly powers.

God rescued the city - this is one of the semantic contents that the coat of arms of Pskov possesses, one of the oldest in Russian heraldry.

Pardus, leopard, lynx

Pskov was always considered the younger brother of Veliky Novgorod. Both cities for several centuries remained independent of the Moscow Principality. In both cities for a long time there was a special form of state structure - the veche republic, and trade ties with Northern Europe were the basis of economic development. In the trading business of Pskov merchants, a seal with the image of a beast of feline breed was used for a long time, which later went over to the coat of arms of Pskov. It is differently identified by domestic historians and connoisseurs of heraldry.

In it, learn both the tiger, and the leopard, and even the cheetah. In the "Painting for All State Seals" (1626), the Pskov "fierce beast" is called a leopard, and on the coat of arms that served as the Tsar's standard of Tsar Alexis Mikhailovich, it is designated as a "lynx running". The main reason for the ambiguity of the interpretation is the lack of experience in standardizing the use of various symbols and rules for artistic stylization of images, which, for example, had by that time Western European heraldry.

Why such a beast?

There is no consensus among historians on the origin of the main element, which contains the coat of arms of Pskov. Scientists do not know - Predators in the Pskov forests resembled a leopard, or not. Archaeologists say that among the items of decorative and applied art found on the territory of Pskov, there are often images of a beast from the cat family, but there is no uniform continuity in the interpretation of such an image on dishes, ornaments, weapons and in prints or in patrimonial symbols.

Other scientists are convinced that the coat of arms of the city of Pskov is an example of cultural borrowing from Western European heraldic practice. Such symbols were very often found in the arms of countries and cities, military units, trade unions and noble families. It is possible that the "Seal of the State of Pskov" of the early 17th century is simply a free interpretation of the Swedish, German or British symbol.

God's right hand

In the famous "Tsar's titular" Alexei Mikhailovich (1672), the coat of arms of Pskov is complemented by the image of the cloud and blessing the hand with a two-fingered. A similar plot appeared in the Pskov coat of arms, depicted on the throne of the first Russian tsar from the Romanov dynasty - Mikhail Fedorovich. Subsequently, the hand had several variants of the image, but it is present on the Pskov coat of arms all subsequent time, except for the Soviet period of history.

In May 1781, during the administrative reforms of Catherine II, the Pskov governorship was established. G. Pskov together with the status of the center of the province received and the highest approved coat of arms. In the description he is called "old" and contains a leopard in a blue field, above which there is a "cloud" with a hand coming out of it. Other cities of the Pskov province received their symbolism. Since the second half of the XIX century the coat of arms is used with an additional design: with golden ears, intertwined Andreev ribbon and imperial crown. The author of the new edition of the Pskov coat of arms was the prominent Russian herald-master Bernhard Köhne.

Soviet time and the revival of traditions

After 1917, Pskov used for his coat of arms a historical basis, which has survived from a long time. Changes were made to elements containing religious and monarchical background. Instead of the imperial crown appeared serrated serf, and instead of God's right hand, either outgoing rays or a five-pointed star were used.

In 1992 by the decision of the city authorities, the historical coat of arms was restored, the basis of which was the version of 1859. Subsequently, work on the arms was continued to bring it in line with the requirements of the Heraldic Council under the President of the Russian Federation. Work on the city's symbolism dragged on - the deputies of the City Duma demanded an explanation for each element. In particular, there were protests against the Latin spelling of the motto proposed by the heraldists: Honorem meum nemeni dabo. The Russian version was included in the approved design of the emblem.

Full version of the official coat of arms

In the State Heraldic Register of the Russian Federation, number 6264 is the official coat of arms of Pskov. The description of it is as follows. At the top of the shield of azure color is a silver cloud with the right hand of a corporal color emerging from it, the personification of God's right hand. The main element is a golden leopard with a raised right paw. He has a red (scarlet) tongue, silver eyes, black marks on the skin, at the end of the tail - a brush. The shield is crowned with a five-pronged golden golden crown decorated with a laurel wreath and a hoop with gems. The crown is located over two silver crossed swords - the symbol of the title, which was awarded to Pskov - "City of Military Glory."

The shield is kept wrapped in leopards, similar to the one depicted on the shield. They are decorated with shoulder silver hoops with five crooked (in the form of lilies) teeth. In the front paws of leopards, along the shield, are golden swords in azure scabbards adorned with silver lining.

The leopards, holding a shield, stand on a gold patterned base, embroidered with an azure ribbon with silver letters constituting the motto: "I will not give my honor to anyone."