Amsterdam is one of the most beautiful and charming European capitals. Penetrated by hundreds of picturesque canals, the city has a centuries-old unique and interesting history. A reflection of its individual milestones are the flag and coat of arms of Amsterdam.
North Venice
As soon as romantic Amsterdam is not called, it is Northern Venice, and the capital of debauchery, and the diamond capital of Europe, the Babylon of our day. The largest city in the Netherlands is unusually beautiful. Its name comes from two words: the name of the river - "Amstel" and "dam" - "Dam".
The city acquired the status of the capital in 1814. It is located at the mouth of the Ey and Amstel rivers in the province of North Holland in the western part of the country and is connected to the North Sea by the Nordsee Canal. The area of the city is 219.4 km 2 , according to the latest data, just over 800 thousand people live there - representatives of 177 nationalities.
Greenpeace's headquarters, headquartered by the seven largest companies in the world, including ING Groep and Philips, are located in Amsterdam in the Netherlands. The sights of the Dutch capital (the Hermitage on Amstel, the red light district, the Vincent Van Gogh Museum, the Rijksmuseum, etc.) annually attract about 4.2 million tourists.
Coat of arms of the city
The coat of arms of Amsterdam consists of three elements: a shield, which depicts three Andreev crosses, the crowns of the Austrian empire and two lions on the sides.
In the center of the composition is a red heraldic shield. It is crossed by a black strip on which three white crosses are depicted - these are symbols of the city. It is noteworthy that the patron saint of the capital is Nikolai the Miracle Worker. Crosses are also present on the flag of Amsterdam. There are two versions of the interpretation of their meaning. According to the first, they symbolize the three main advantages of the city: mercy, firmness and valor. According to the second version, popular, they are associated with the three threats of Amsterdam: an epidemic, water and fire.
The second element of the coat of arms is the crown of the Austrian Empire, which has repeatedly changed its appearance. The right to adorn his emblem with this monarchical symbol was granted to Amsterdam by the King of Germany Maximilian I in gratitude for the loans and merits provided in 1489. After his coronation by the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire in 1508, the crown on the coat of arms was replaced by the imperial. The previous appearance was returned only in the seventeenth century.
The third element of the coat of arms - lions supporting the shield and crown, they appeared in the 16th century, when Holland became a republic.
The motto of the city on the coat of arms
The lower part of the coat of arms of the city is decorated with three ribbons on which the official motto of the city is placed - Heldhaftig, Vastberaden, Barmhartig. He was bestowed on Amsterdam by Queen Wilhelmina in 1947 in recognition of the courage of his citizens during the Second World War. Translated, it sounds like "Valiant, Determined, Compassionate."
Until recently, the ruler tried to avoid participating in the war, until the moment when in May 1940 Germany was not captured by the country. The queen refused to submit to the invaders and left Holland, leading the exiled government. Her name became the slogan of the Dutch resistance movement.
Amsterdam flag: adoption and view
A flag is a symbol of a city or state. As a rule, his cloth consists of several colors. It all depends on what exactly this country wants to display through it.
The official flag of Amsterdam was adopted on February 5, 1975. It consists of three horizontal isometric stripes: red, black, red. On the middle black stripe are the oblique white crosses of St. Andrew. The appearance of the flag, as you might guess, is entirely based on the heraldic shield of Amsterdam.
Amsterdam Flag Meaning
The color and design of the flag completely duplicate the shield depicted on the coat of arms. White crosses have a meaning similar to the motto of the city and reflect its three main qualities. The exact meaning of the colors is not known. It is assumed that the black stripe may mean the Amstel River, on which the city stands. The conclusion is made on the basis that the middle lane means a pond on the arms of two other Dutch cities: Delft and Dordrecht. Also, historians suggest that the black and red color on the flag comes from the coat of arms of the noble Persean family, which once had rather extensive possessions in Amsterdam.
St. Andrew's crosses and similar colors can also be seen on the flags of two other Dutch cities Amstelveen and Auder-Amstel.
Flag of the national movement "Resistance"
Verzetsvlag is another flag of Amsterdam. It has the appearance of a white rectangular canvas, in the center of which the emblem of the city is depicted. This flag is used only for a special occasion, it is hoisted in honor of Victory Day over Nazi Germany in World War II.
The coat of arms and flags have long become peculiar sights of the city of Amsterdam in the Netherlands. Symbols are often depicted on souvenirs. Each year, along with ceramic bells and mills, wooden klumps (miniature and life-size), porcelain dolls, magnets, cheeses and tulips, they are sold to thousands of visitors to the city every year.