Kirov is a large city of the Urals with a population of half a million people, the administrative center of the region of the same name. He is known primarily as the birthplace of the famous "Dymkovo toys". In our article you will find general information about the city, as well as information about the official symbols of Kirov: coat of arms and flag. What do they look like when they were approved, and what is the meaning of them? Let's answer all these questions.
Kirov city: administration, internal division, interesting facts
Kirov is located on the Vyatka River, 900 kilometers northeast of Moscow. This is the most important industrial, scientific and cultural center of the Urals. Kirov is one of the 100 largest cities in Europe by population. As of 2018, 533 thousand people lived in it.
In administrative-territorial terms, the city is divided into four regions: October, Leninsky, Pervomaisk and Novovyatsky. In addition, the urban district includes 134 rural settlements. The representative authority in the city is the Kirov City Council, consisting of 36 deputies. The Kirov administration is the executive and administrative body of local self-government. It is located in the historical center of the city, at the address: Vorovsky street, 39.
Kirov is considered the most eastern city of Ancient Russia. His annals are extremely rich in various events. The city was founded at the end of the XII century. Throughout his history, he changed his name several times:
- until 1457 - Vyatka;
- from 1457 to 1780 - Khlynov;
- from 1780 to 1934 - again Vyatka;
- since 1934 - Kirov (in honor of the notorious Soviet revolutionary and statesman, a native of Vyatka province).
At the moment, among historians and local historians of Kirov, there remains an urgent discussion about how this city should be called today.
Coat of arms of Kirov: photo and description
Kirov, like any other large city in Russia, has its own official symbols. This is a flag, coat of arms and anthem. Coat of arms of Kirov has been known since the beginning of the XVIII century. Its current version was approved on August 27, 2008. In October of the same year, it was entered in the State Heraldry Register (under No. 4321).
The main elements of the Kirov coat of arms:
- serrated crown;
- right hand;
- cloud;
- bow with arrow;
- blade cross.
The coat of arms has a traditional shape. In a golden field, on the right side of the blue cloud comes a hand (right hand) in a red sleeve that holds a bow with one arrow. The weapon is directed left-down. At the head of the main coat of arms is a wedge-shaped (broadened) cross of scarlet color. The shield is crowned with a five-toothed crown of a tower type, the base of which is decorated with a laurel golden wreath.
History and modifications of the city coat of arms
The modern coat of arms of the city of Kirov dates back to the beginning of the 16th century. Its elements can be found on the state press of Ivan the Terrible of those times. Later, in 1712, the image of the coat of arms adorned the battle flag of the Vyatka Dragoon Regiment, formed by decree of Peter the Great. In 1781, the coat of arms of Vyatka was introduced by the heraldmeister Alexander Volkov for the highest approval by Empress Catherine the Second, along with the arms of other cities of Vyatka governorship.
One cannot but pay attention to the Kirov coat of arms of the Soviet era, which was adopted and approved in 1969. Its appearance was radically different from the current version (see photo below). The central element of this coat of arms was a green spruce. A golden squirrel was placed on its branch, and at the base of the tree was a stylized composition of an ear of bread, gears and a retort. The image of the bow and arrow on the Soviet version of the city emblem was preserved, however, it was placed in the lower left corner of the coat of arms.
Coat of arms
What does the coat of arms of Kirov symbolize? Let's take a closer look at the meaning of each of its elements:
- A bow with a bowstring and an arrow in hand means a readiness to defend one’s home, city, or homeland.
- The cloud is a symbol of divine conduct and God's will.
- Red wedge-shaped cross - represents military prowess, courage and courage.
- Golden Battle Tower - emphasizes the status of the city of Kirov as the regional center of the Russian Federation.
The city coat of arms of Kirov is dominated by a golden color. In heraldry, it symbolizes greatness, wealth, wealth, and the veneration of state laws. In addition, some other colors are present on the coat of arms, in particular, red (scarlet) and blue (azure). Red is a symbol of courage and courage, and blue is honor, glory and truth.
City flag
The Kirov flag was approved in March 2010. He almost exactly repeats the city coat of arms.
The flag is a rectangular cloth of gold color with a standard aspect ratio of 2: 3. At its center is a scarlet hand emerging from a cloud and directed downward diagonally. A hand pulls a bowstring with one arrow fixed in it. On top of this composition is a scarlet wedge-shaped cross. The only difference between the Kirov flag and the similar coat of arms of the city lies in the cloud: here it is depicted more simplified.