Coat of arms of Kiev

The coat of arms of Kiev features the Archangel Michael officially named as "Saint Michael the Archistrategos" (archistrategos, chief-general in the Ancient Greece), wielding a flaming sword and a shield on an azure field.

Coat of arms of Kiev
Armiger	Kiev
Adopted	18 April 1995
Blazon	Azure

1578 coat of arms, in Polish it says "Miasto Kijow nośi herb Jerzego świathego / od dawnych ЭЄ. Ruskich nadany (The city of Kiev bears a coat of arms of St.George from Old Princes of Rus it was given)"

Kiev Oblast coat of arms with St.George the Dragonslayer

History

The coat of arms traces its history back to the medieval principality of Kievan Rus', where the Archangel Michael was depicted on the seals used by the Kievan grand princes. Initially the coat of arms of Kiev featured Saint George fighting a dragon on an azure field, and this today remains the coat of arms of the Kiev Oblast. In the 16th century, a coat consisting of the Archangel Michael clad in white robes, holding a sword and a shield on a red field was adopted for the Kiev Voivodeship.

In 1487, along with Magdeburg rights, the city of Kiev received a coat of arms consisting of a hand holding a crossbow.

In 1782, a new coat of arms was approved by the order of Catherine II of Russia. In the order the coat of arms is described as "Archangel Michael in a short tunic on an azure field". Later on it was decorated with an imperial crown and other ornaments. No original image of the arms has been recovered to date. Some modern drawings of the arms exist, based on the description in Catherine's order.

In 1918, during the short time of Ukrainian independence, a coat of arms was adopted which contained, in addition to the Archangel Michael and the crossbow, a trident from the Coat of arms of Ukraine, emphasizing the city's role as the nation's capital.

In 1969[1], a coat of arms was introduced with chestnut leaves[1] and a bow on the red-azure field, containing the word КИЇВ (KYIV; Ukrainian for 'KIEV'), and such Soviet symbols as the hammer and sickle and the Hero City medal. Since 1973 the horse-chestnut leave became one of the symbols of the city.

In May 1995, the Kiev City Council restored the city's original coat of arms depicting the Archangel Michael.[1]

Gallery

• 
  Kiev Coat of Arms (1480).
• 
  Kiev land Coat of Arms (1672).
• 
  Kiev city magistrate Coat of Arms (1698, on the seal).
• 
  Kiev Coat of Arms (1782; restored based on historical description).
• 
  Kiev Governorate Coat of Arms (1856).
• 
  Kiev Coat of Arms (1969—1995).

References

1. "Thujoy Khreshchatyk". Why Kyivans miss chestnuts and how they became a symbol of the capital, Ukrayinska Pravda (29 May 2019) (in Ukrainian)