Taranto coat of arms
| Taranto coat of arms | |
|---|---|
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| Details | |
| Introduced | 1935 |
| Heraldic shield | in blue a naked young man riding a dolphin , a cloth around his left arm and a trident in his right hand |
| Other elements | in the red head of the shield a shell and the Greek letters ΤΑ and ΡΑΣ |
The Taranto coat of arms shows a naked young man riding a dolphin in blue . He has wrapped a cloth around his left arm while he is holding a trident in his right hand .
According to the mythical story of the founding of the city, the young man is said to be Taras, the son of Poseidon (god of all seas), who drowned in the river Tara.
It is said that while Taras was making sacrifices to his father Poseidon, a dolphin suddenly appeared. That was interpreted as luck and Taras felt so encouraged to found a city here, which he then ruled.
A red curved shield head shows a golden shell between the golden inscription TA and RAS. Taras is the Greek name of Taranto.
There is a five-pinned wall crown above the coat of arms . The shield is accompanied by a leafy green branch that is tied with a bow. This coat of arms was officially recognized in 1935.