The city of Odintsovo is located in the suburbs. This is one of the ancient cities of the Moscow region. And its state symbols are a reflection of the history of Odintsovo and Russia. At the initiative of the Odintsovo administration and its residents, the coat of arms is often displayed in the decor of urban space.
A bit of history
In the place of the city of Odintsovo as far back as the 17th century there were estates of the beloved boyar Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov Artamon Matveev - the village of Odintsovo. He died during the notorious Streletsky rebellion during the reign of Peter I. His son Andrei founded a church in the village, which was consecrated in the name of the holy martyr Artemon, who brought the faith of Christ to people, healed and helped with the word of God, performed miracles.
After the death of Andrei Artamonovich, the estate of the Matveyevs, which he inherited from the previous owners of the Odintsovs, the descendants of the boyar Dmitry Donskoy, Andrei Odints, changed many owners. By 1920, after the revolution, the Odintsovo district was formed around the village of Odintsovo, which included 29 more neighboring villages. As for the history of the appearance of the city at this place, Odintsovo acquired such significance by 1957. For a long time it existed without official symbols.
Old coat of arms
The old coat of arms of Odintsovo was approved in 1985. Its basis was the silver coat of arms of the French heraldic form, divided into four parts. The upper field in the form of a wide horizontal gold strip has an inscription in blue block letters - the name of the city. The second and third fields are on the same level and are two components of the second horizontal strip. Their colors are red (left) and blue (right). In the blue field are golden sickle and hammer. The largest is the lower margin of the shield. It depicts a golden Kremlin tower crowned with a red five-pointed star. The tower is surrounded on the right by a fragment of a golden wreath of oak and birch leaves, a part of the toothed golden wheel is located to the left, and a fragment of a wreath of golden ears to the left.
New coat of arms
The Odintsovo coat of arms, approved in 1997, is based on a French-shaped heraldic shield, divided into two parts horizontally. The upper field of the shield is azure in color, and the lower is green. The upper symbolizes the sky, and the lower - the earth. At the border of the two fields of the shield lies a proud silver deer. His right front leg with a golden hoof rests on the ground. The head is turned back: the deer as if looks back at the path traveled and rests, preparing to set off on the road again. Golden horns are directed to the sky. Thus, a noble animal can be considered as a model of the world tree, connecting together the three parts of the universe: the Underworld, Earth and Sky, and symbolize the eternal life of the city. The neck of the proud beast is decorated with a golden wreath as a sign of honor and respect. However, the official description suggests a more stable interpretation of the image.
| Color element | Symbolic meaning |
| silver | purity, nobleness, wisdom, perfection, peace |
| gold | nobility, wealth, honor, respect |
| green | fertility, natural wealth, eternity, health, life |
| azure | peace, beauty, peace, prosperity, virtues, perfection |
| deer | nobility, nobility |
| turning the head back | peace, rest |
| raised leg | desire for movement |
| wreath | honor, respect, victory |
Deer story
Many people wonder why Odintsovo is a deer on the coat of arms. The image of a deer is associated with the history of the martyrdom of Elder Artemon. When the Gentiles caught him, there were several animals with him, among them two deer. The elder did not hunt or trap animals. He tamed them with the Word of God.
One of the deer was given the opportunity to speak the human language in order to notify the bishop of what had happened. The deer, having come home, spoke about the capture of Artemon. The bishop sent a clerk to check. The news brought by the noble animals was confirmed.
Artemon in prison was brutally tortured. When the deer returned, he fell at the feet of the tormented elder, licked them and predicted to the tormentors their imminent death. Subsequently, these predictions came true.
