The coat of arms of Samara, like the coats of arms of other Russian cities, was first approved on May 8, 1730. The central figure of the Samara coat of arms is a white wild goat standing on a green field against a blue sky. What was the reason for the choice of an animal so unusual for this purpose and what does the goat symbolize on the coat of arms of Samara?
History of the Samara coat of arms
New coats of arms began to be created by decree of Catherine II, at a time when new provinces and provinces were established. The herald master Volkov was the author of the coats of arms of Samara and the cities of the Siberian governorship, which included Samara as a district town. It was he who placed a wild white goat on the Samara coat of arms, which symbolized the abundance of animals of this species in the Samara region.
For the first time, the mention of the coat of arms of the city of Samara is found in the "Famous coat of arms", written in 1729-1730.
In those days, the Trans-Volga territories were occupied by endless pastures of nomads. The Samarka River was a border, on both sides of which there were two great steppe states - the Kazan Khanate and the Nogai Horde. Their inhabitants drove huge herds of fat-tailed sheep and other cattle across the pastures, since the area was ideal for cattle breeding thanks to the river waters and lush grasses.
The meaning of the goat on the coat of arms
After the formation of the Samara province, the wild goat on its coat of arms was subsequently replaced by a wild silver goat with black hooves and scarlet eyes, while the coat of arms of the provincial city remained unchanged. Samara local historians argue that the choice of this animal for heraldry was associated with the unshakable strength and leadership qualities that the ancient peoples attributed to the goat. In addition, the goat symbolized spring, the awakening and flourishing of the earth.
The provincial coat of arms of the 19th century is the model from which the design of the modern Samara coat of arms was taken.
The colors of the coat of arms also had their meaning. So, blue represented wealth, green - hope, and white - purity and innocence. The shield on the Samara coat of arms was crowned with a golden Imperial crown, which showed that Samara is under protection and is inviolable. For a long time, this coat of arms hung over many government buildings in Samara - in particular, today it can be found on Chernorechenskaya Street, where it has been preserved on the building of the former Samara fire station. Also, the coat of arms was restored on the building of the former Zemstvo Provincial Council at 116 Frunze Street. In addition, it can be found at the Academic Drama Theater of Samara, but the restorers slightly embellished reality by depicting on the coat of arms a mountain goat with long twisted horns, which have never been seen in the Samara province. was common.
