Iceland country symbols. Who is not featured on the coat of arms of Iceland? The history of the creation of the coat of arms
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Flag of Iceland
The Icelandic flag uses three colors. On a blue background is a red cross shifted to the left, located vertically and bordered by white stripes. The first time the symbol of Iceland was approved after receiving partial independence from Denmark in 1918. The design of the flag shows the use of Scandinavian motifs along with the image of a red cross, indicating a long-term Danish influence on the history of Iceland. At the same time, the chosen design of the flag is fully consistent with the national idea: red represents local volcanoes, white represents glaciers, blue represents the Atlantic Ocean, whose waters are azure. Many citizens of Iceland see in their flag the traditional state colors - blue and white, they are associated with the colors of the country's state award - the Order of the Silver Falcon.
Coat of arms of Iceland
The current coat of arms of Iceland was adopted in 1944. Laconic and meaningful, the emblem fully embodies the spirit of the Icelandic people. On the blue shield is a red cross framed with a white border. The shield is held by the four main patrons of Iceland, lava flows under their feet.
- To the left of the shield- bull, protector of the south-west of the country;
- Behind the shield- griffin, protector of the northwest and dragon - northeast;
- To the right of the shield- a mythical and formidable giant, the patron of the north-east of the country.
All four are the most respected beings in Iceland. They are also depicted on the obverse of the currency of the state - the crown. The government of the island uses the national flag with the coat of arms depicted on it. The police department is a yellow flag with a coat of arms.
The history of the creation of the coat of arms
For a long time there were several coats of arms in the country, including a shield with twelve stripes - six silver and six blue. The second option was the count emblem of Iceland, which was a gift from the Norwegian monarch. A yellow-blue shield was placed on the coat of arms, it depicted a red lion with an ax. Coat of arms changed in 1500, on it was a dried fish in a crown against the background of a red shield.
In October 1903 The blue coat of arms with a snow-white falcon was declared the national symbol of the country, which was considered a royal bird and was almost always part of the Danish coat of arms. Falcon emblem used until February 1919, after which the coat of arms with four patrons became official.
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Iceland is one of the most unusual and original countries on our planet. This island state, inhabited by the descendants of the Vikings at the end of the 9th century, is lost in the expanses of the Atlantic Ocean. The isolation and seclusion of the island has influenced the customs and traditions of the Icelanders, which are quite rare and unique.
Family traditions
It will be strange for any foreigner in Iceland to learn that Icelanders do not have surnames. What Europeans are accustomed to understanding as a surname is a patronymic among the inhabitants of the island. Thus, if a person, for example, is Ragnar Olafson, this means that Ragnar is the son of Olaf. However, Icelanders do not like to call each other by their last names. Communication among themselves is limited to names.
Culinary traditions
Despite the scarcity of local flora and fauna, due to the harsh northern climate, Iceland's cuisine is extremely diverse. Most of the vegetables and fruits are imported into the country, but the Icelanders grow carrots, cabbage, potatoes and cucumbers with tomatoes on their island. Traditional and popular dishes in the country are sour milk, fried puffins (a type of bird) and their eggs, ox eggs soaked in yogurt, smoked lamb, salmon marinated in spices, chopped sheep liver and rotten shark meat. Coffee is very popular on the island. When visiting a cafe, the payment is taken only for the first cup of coffee, all the rest are free. Traditions to travel
Icelanders love the beauty of nature in their land. Adult residents of the island have off-road vehicles and small farms or houses in nature outside the city limits. The descendants of the Vikings are very fond of traveling. For their voyages, they often choose not other countries or resorts, but the territory of their own country. Annual visits to historical places and natural monuments have become a good tradition.
folk traditions
Iceland has only two seasons - winter and summer. Half a year in the country day, half a year night. In order to somehow diversify their lives with long boring evenings, the Icelanders, in addition to various family games, are addicted to knitting. At present, this tradition has already outlived its usefulness in cities, but the inhabitants of farms, both men and women, are happy to knit. It is because of such a mass hobby for knitting, from an ordinary hobby that has turned into a national tradition, that the famous Icelandic sweater appeared, which is called "lopapeysa" or "lopi" for short. Such things look like warm jumpers or sweaters, decorated at the top and near the throat with national ornaments. For export, such clothes are made from imported wool, since the yarn from the wool of local sheep turns out to be very prickly. Due to the fact that sweaters are very warm and practically do not let in moisture, they are quite often used as outerwear.
Literary and musical traditions
Icelanders are especially proud of their national traditions in literature and music. Real events from the life of ancestors are passed down from generation to generation and are performed to music using national musical instruments. These instruments are the organ and the harmonium.
In modern music, which is closely related to Scandinavian, one can clearly hear the ethnic melodies characteristic of the Icelanders. The country has several musical groups that have received worldwide recognition.
National pride in literary terms is, of course, the 1955 Nobel Prize winner in literature, the Icelandic writer Hadldour Lasness. His works, inspired by the plots of the sagas, brought the author worldwide fame. 
holiday traditions
The main Icelandic holiday is the Winter Festival. It became his tradition to wear trousers on only one leg and to hop barefoot on his bare foot around his own house. The Icelandic Winter Festival is celebrated widely with an abundance of food and drink at the table. Jumping in the cold on the snow around the house is not prohibited, but not mandatory.
Traditionally, one of the main and beloved holidays was the New Year's Eve. During its celebration, the inhabitants of Iceland set fires on fire and dance around them, singing cheerful songs.
After the New Year's Eve, the inhabitants of the island celebrate their most traditional holiday called Yule. During its celebration, bonfires are necessarily lit, but already in specially designated places, due to the fact that the holiday is dedicated to the goddesses of fate. The traditions of Yule are very similar to the traditions of celebrating Christmas. Icelanders also decorate the Christmas tree and hide gifts under it.
Icelanders celebrate the first day of summer, Sumardagurin Firsti, on a grand scale. A number of folk beliefs are associated with this pagan festival. Frost on the holiday night was a good sign. The Icelanders believe that the thickness of the ice on the water will be the same as the thickness of the cream on the milk throughout the year.
To celebrate the first day of summer, Iceland celebrates the first day of winter. During its celebration, the Icelanders arrange various competitions and organize many festivals.
The main public holidays are the Independence Day of the country, celebrated on December 1, the Day of the Head of State and the Day of the Declaration of the Republic of Iceland.
It is no stranger to Icelanders to celebrate some of the world's recognized holidays, such as St. Nicholas Day, Catholic Christmas, Valentine's Day and Lutheran Easter. 
Other traditions
Icelanders are extremely punctual. When making an appointment, it is better to arrive on time or even a little earlier. Being late for meetings is considered bad manners.
It is also considered bad form to use the word “peasant” in communication, and in any language. It is considered offensive. In Icelandic, it has been replaced by the word "farmer". Settlements adopted on the European continent to call a village or a village here are called a farm. On the island, according to its inhabitants, there are generally only two types of settlements - these are urban settlements and farm settlements.
In the case of an invitation to visit, it is customary to give the hosts any, even purely symbolic, gift. Icelanders are very welcoming and hospitable.
Iceland was originally settled by immigrants from Norway. Opponents of the then Harald fled to the island, not wanting to submit to his autocratic power. Settling the country, the settlers retained their social foundations, formed in the “pre-state time”. All issues were decided by the people's assembly or within. Therefore, at that time the country did not have any centralized government, and as a result there was no need for such symbols of state power as the coat of arms and the flag of Iceland. This form of government existed until the beginning of the 13th century, when Iceland was forced to recognize as the supreme power first Norway, and then the Danish king.
The first mention of heraldry dates back to the Middle Ages. Then they were the personal coats of arms of the Icelandic knights and orders that received the right to do so, which were then full of Iceland. The coat of arms and the flag usually contained images of animals (falcons, polar bears, etc.), the spirits of which were believed to patronize the knights.
At the same time, a heraldic element appeared, which is also present on the modern state emblem, namely the shield-bearing spirits, the guardians of all of Iceland: a giant, a bird, a bull, a dragon.
The first emblems of Iceland
Presumably the first official emblems of Iceland date back to 1265-1285. In the heraldic atlases of that time, the coat of arms of the king of Iceland is depicted, and in fact one of the coats of arms of the Norwegian monarch, to whom the Icelanders swore allegiance. The coat of arms is a scarlet lion with a battle ax on the shield. It also includes a modified symbol of the then Norway with the replacement of colors with opposite ones. What flag Iceland had during this historical period has not yet been reliably established. The affiliation of the found signs to Iceland has not been definitely proven and causes controversy among historians and heraldists.
Cod on the coat of arms of Iceland
Presumably, the first to use the image of cod as a symbol of Iceland on their seals were merchants who traded and had their enterprises in this state. For the first time, this image on the shield was found on a manuscript dating back to 1360, and later it was used as a coat of arms in all medieval documents. Whether the cod pattern was used as the flag of Iceland or not is not currently established by historians.
The fish was depicted on the personal seal of the Danish king, intended for the governor of Iceland. One of these silver prints depicting a crown and a cod is on display at the National Museum of Iceland.
The use of this fish as a national symbol at that time had a good reason. Cod was the main trade and export commodity, and its appearance on coats of arms and seals looks quite justified. On the royal seal of Denmark, such a symbol of Iceland existed until the first half of the 19th century, later it was replaced by the image of a falcon.
Coat of arms of the Kingdom of Iceland
In October 1903, by decree of the Danish king, a falcon on a blue background became the coat of arms. Residents saw it as a more appropriate national symbol than a headless fish. This proud bird was also featured on the Royal Flag of Iceland. At the same time, the highest state award, the Order of the Falcon, was established.
Icelandic Republic
In 1940, Nazi Germany completely occupied Denmark. At the end of the war, Iceland was occupied by the troops of the Anglo-American coalition, and the national council held a referendum, in June 1944 an independent Republic of Iceland was proclaimed.
It was decided to abandon the crown on the state emblem, but to keep the main elements, such as the shield and shield-holder spirits. A slab of volcanic basalt was chosen as the base of the coat of arms.
An interesting fact: when discussing options for the coat of arms of the new republic, the authorities turned to professional heraldists of the Vatican for advice. But they were so busy designing personal coats of arms for cardinals and bishops that they missed the chance to create a symbol for the whole state.
National flag
"Quietblown" (Isl. Hvítbláinn, translated "white-blue") was the first national flag and was a rectangle with a dark blue background and a white cross. The right of the country to have its own flag was confirmed by a decree on November 22, 1913, and already on June 19, 1915, the highest council (althing) approved a law that determines what the flag of Iceland looks like. Another inner red cross was added to the white cross. Denmark recognized sovereignty within the framework of the union in 1918, and on February 12, 1919, the official flag of Iceland was approved by decree of the king. After the proclamation of full independence in 1944, there were no fundamental changes in the flag, only it became darker. The design reflects Scandinavian traditions and is derived from the Danish state sign. The red color on it reminds that the country was under the protectorate of Denmark for a long time. White and blue colors are traditional and come from the symbolism of the Silver Falcon.
Also, the colors of the flag are associated with Icelandic landscapes: red is the fire of Iceland's volcanoes, white is snow and ice, blue is the water of the Atlantic Ocean around the island.
State flag
In addition to the national flag, there is also the national flag of Iceland, which is distinguished by the presence of a triangular cutout at the free end. The length of the blue fields on the free part is three times greater than the width. The days of obligatory hoisting of the national and state flags are determined by a special law.
The coat of arms of Iceland depicts a heraldic shield with a design of the country's national flag. On a blue background is a red cross with a white border. As on the flag, blue represents the sky, the Atlantic Ocean, white symbolizes snow cover and geysers, red symbolizes fiery volcanoes.
The emblem was officially approved on June 17, 1944. The shield is supported by four guardian spirits (Isl. Landvættir) of Iceland, standing on a slab of columnar basalt: a bull (Isl. Griðungur) is the patron of Southwestern Iceland, a giant (Isl. Bergrisi) is the patron of Southeast , vulture (Isl. Gammur) - Northwest and dragon (Isl. Dreki) - Northeast. In its modern form, it was adopted in 1944, after the proclamation of Iceland as a republic. All characters of the saga "Circle of the Earth".
The saga tells how the Danish ruler ordered the sorcerer to penetrate the coast of Iceland and find a good place to moor the warships of Denmark. The sorcerer, turning into a whale, went to the island. On the west coast, he met a huge fire-breathing dragon. The sorcerer went north, but there he was met by a huge vulture bird. The sorcerer swam south. There he met a huge bull that pounced on him. Sailing past the Cape of Spirits, he came across a giant holding a club in his hands. The sorcerer eventually returned to the king, saying that all the coasts of Iceland were securely fortified.
Basalt represents stamina, courage, invincibility.
Historical emblems of Iceland
The emblem was a shield of the Varangian heraldic form with alternating horizontal white and blue stripes.
The country was founded by immigrants from Norway. She was independent. In 1262, the country actually lost its independence, having accepted the power of King Haakon IV of Norway.
Some heraldists believe that this coat of arms is a hoax.
After Iceland became dependent on Norway, a red lion with a yellow background was added to the coat of arms. The lower part of the coat of arms remained the same. Thus, the coat of arms is a combination of two coats of arms.
The coat of arms was a shield of the Varangian heraldic form of red color, in the center of which there was a split cod of silver color, above which there was a golden crown.
The first mention of this coat of arms dates back to 1593. A copy of the seal (coat of arms) is still kept in the museum, donated to him in 1897. The image of a cod was included in the coat of arms of Denmark in 1820, along with elements of the coats of arms of the Faroe Islands, as well as Greenland. It was in this year that elements of the coat of arms of Norway were excluded from the coat of arms of Denmark, power over which was lost.
Coat of arms of Iceland 1903
The coat of arms was a shield of the Varangian heraldic form of blue color, in the center of which there was a silver gyrfalcon bird.
Gyrfalcon belongs to the falcon family (falcon in heraldry).
It was believed that Iceland was the birthplace of some of the best falcons.
Since 1921, King Christian X of Denmark established the Order of the Icelandic Falcon, which was awarded "for services to Iceland and humanity." After the death of the Knight of the Order, his signs must be returned to the Council of the Order.
This coat of arms replaced the image of a falcon. This coat of arms was the prototype for the modern coat of arms.
Sources
- Coats of arms of the world / [Ed.-comp. K.Ya.Nezhinskiy]. - M.: Eksmo, 2008. - 192 p.: ill.;
- Official website of the Prime Minister of Iceland (page about the flag) (English);
- Birgir Thorlacius. Islands veben // Heraldisk Tidsskrift, Bd. 6, 1989, no. 60.;
- Svane E. Det danske rigsveben og kongevеben. Odense, 1994.
Hello ladies and gentlemen. Today we have Saturday January 3, 2019, on Channel One there is a TV game "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?". The players and host Dmitry Dibrov are in the studio.
In the article we will consider one of the interesting and complex issues of today's game. The site will soon publish a general article with all the questions and the correct answers to them.
Who is not featured on the coat of arms of Iceland?
Iceland is an island nation in the North Atlantic Ocean. It is located between Greenland and Scotland and is located northwest of the Faroe Islands.
Iceland is a country with a market economy and relatively low taxes. It maintains the so-called Scandinavian social system, which provides universal health care and higher education for its citizens. Iceland ranks highly in economic, political and social stability and equity. In 2013, the country was ranked as the 13th most developed country in the world by the United Nations Human Development Index. Iceland gets its energy almost entirely from renewable energy sources.
Iceland's culture is based on the nation's Scandinavian heritage. Most Icelanders are descendants of German and Celtic settlers. The country's cultural heritage includes traditional Icelandic cuisine, Icelandic literature, and the Icelandic sagas. Iceland is the country with the smallest population among all NATO members and the only country without a standing army.
- the Dragon
- polar bear
The coat of arms of Iceland is one of the main state symbols of the country. It is an azure shield with a silver Latin cross burdened with a scarlet Latin cross. The shield is supported by four guardian spirits of Iceland, standing on a slab of columnar basalt: the bull is the patron of Southwestern Iceland, the giant is of Southeastern Iceland, the vulture is of the Northwestern and the dragon is of the Northeastern. In its modern form, it was adopted in 1944, after the proclamation of Iceland as a republic.
Correct answer to the quiz question: polar bear.