In the south of the Nizhny Novgorod region there is an ancient city with the unusual name Arzamas. Once this settlement was famous for leather dressing and a special breed of geese. Today, it is, above all, the most important transport hub connecting Moscow with the southern and eastern regions of the country. In this article we will describe in detail the official symbols of Arzamas - the emblem and flag, and also tell a little about the city itself.
Arzamas: history and modernity
The city dates back to 1552, when Tsar Ivan the Terrible founded a fortress here to protect the southeastern borders of the state. By the way, looking a little ahead, it is this historical fact that underlies the modern coat of arms of Arzamas. But more on that later.
In the XVII-XVIII centuries, Arzamas became an important transit point on the way from Moscow to the southern regions of the empire. This period in the history of the city is called the "golden". Local merchants got rich indecent in a matter of years. This was reflected in the architecture of Arzamas: by the beginning of the 19th century, there were 33 churches and four Orthodox monasteries in the city. At that time, Arzamas was famous throughout Russia for three things: a special kind of onion, a breed of geese, as well as leather goods. The famous Arzamas yuft was exported to a number of European countries.
The modern economy of Arzamas is based on the engineering industry (including instrumentation), the military industry and the production of building materials. Today, it produces sensors for aviation, utility equipment, equipment for sewing and furniture production, radio components, reinforced concrete and other building materials.
Many are interested in the etymology of the name of the city. According to the most common version, the toponym Arzamas comes from the Moksha word "Erzya", which translates as "Mordvin-Erzyan." But there is another legend hypothesis that tells of two Mordvins with the names Erzya and Maz, who rendered some service to Ivan the Terrible. The name of the future city was supposedly formed from their names.
Next, we will tell you about the main symbols of Arzamas. What do they look like and what do they mean?
Coat of arms of Arzamas: photo and description
One of the official city symbols is the coat of arms. In this case, it symbolizes the historical continuity of the city and clearly reflects local traditions.
The coat of arms of the city of Arzamas was first approved back in 1781 by the corresponding decree of Catherine the Second. Its author is Franz Matveevich Santi, a heraldist and artist from Piedmont (Italy), the founder of Russian heraldry. The coat of arms was restored and re-adopted in 1993. It is entered in the State Heraldic Register of the Russian Federation under the number 140.
The city coat of arms is based on a classic quadrangular shield with a pointed base (French type). The color of the shield is gold. On it we see two rafters: the upper red and the lower green. In the center of the shield, both rafters are connected by their sharp corners.
What does the coat of arms of Arzamas mean
Urban symbols refer us to the times of Ivan the Terrible, namely to his military campaign in Kazan. A pair of multi-colored rafters facing each other means a combat battle. Moreover, their colors were not chosen by chance: the red rafter represents the Moscow (Russian) army, and the green - the Muslim horde (green is the traditional color of the Islamic religion). It is also worth paying attention to the fact that the victorious side in this battle is depicted on the coat of arms from above.
However, there is another interpretation of the main urban symbol. So, some researchers believe that the emblem depicts four important trade routes converging at one point - Arzamas.
Other coat of arms options
For some time, another variant of the coat of arms was widely used in the city, supplemented by a figure of a deer on top. This image, as you know, adorns the main symbol of the Nizhny Novgorod region. On the coat of arms, an animal with branching horns and black hooves proudly strides westward.
In addition, a variant of the city coat of arms with the image of a flying silver goose is also known. A golden inscription “Arzamas” and the year of the official foundation of the city - 1578 are placed above the bird. At the bottom of the coat of arms you can see a wheat ear and a fragment of gear. It is not known exactly when this project was developed, but its motives can be found on some souvenir badges of the Soviet period.
