Finnish heraldry

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The Finnish Heraldry joins that of the Nordic countries such as Denmark , Norway and Sweden one. Thus leading Finland , as these states, in his national flag, the simple Scandinavian Cross as the same basic shape. The different country-specific colors make the difference. It is the same in the coat of arms . The same or similar heraldic figures show the similar development of the coats of arms over centuries. The differences between the Nordic coats of arms and to the entire European heraldry are not essential, rather spartan.

Finland was part of the Swedish Empire until 1809 . Consequently, Finnish heraldry followed the Swedish pattern without any major deviations. The city coats of arms, civic coats of arms and also the noble arms are similar to those of Sweden. The first city coats of arms can be found in the 17th century. There are no typical Finnish peculiarities in the coats of arms. The later Russian influence from 1809 until independence in 1917 has left little traces.

It was only in recent times that a coat of arms of its own, especially for new municipal coats of arms, has emerged. Heraldic tinctures are conspicuously limited to black and blue and to the metals gold and silver. Many coats of arms are characterized by simple picture elements such as hunting weapons and plants from the region. The selection of heraldic animals is reduced to moose , reindeer and antlers, fish , bear , seal and ptarmigan . Eagles are hard to find. The religious heraldic figures are also rare. The striking, simple and strictly graphic stylization should be emphasized . The fir-section and the fir Cross , for example, a typical Finnish style of the coat of arms section .

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