The coat of arms of the German

Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

 state and city of Hamburg

Hamburg

-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...

 is a kind of a national emblem

National emblem

A national emblem symbolically represents a nation. Most national emblems originate in the natural world, such as animals or birds, but another object may serve. National emblems may appear on many things such as the national flag, coat of arms, or other patriotic materials...

. The coat of arms

Coat of arms

A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...

 and the flags

Flag of Hamburg

There are three flags of Hamburg, Germany. The Landesflagge , the State flag of Hamburg and the admiralty flag consist of the Coat of arms of Hamburg on a red flag....

 are regulated by the constitution of Hamburg and law. The colors of Hamburg are red and white. One of the oldest versions of the castle is found on a seal in 1245.

Description

All coat of arms show a castle with three towers. The middle tower shows a cross on top. It is believed that the so-called Marian stars on top of the two side-towers and the cross recalls the fact that Hamburg used to be an archbishopric. The towers and the walls with their pinnacles and the closed gate symbolized the determination of the town to defend itself.

Greater Coat of Arms

The Greater Coat of Arms shows the castle, the stars and the church in silver on red ground with two lions standing on a compartment. The top is like the middle coat of arms with a helmet with crest including three peacock feathers and six banners of the arms and a mantling. This coat of arms is protected and only allowed to be used by the Senat and the Diet of Hamburg

Government of Hamburg

The government of Hamburg is divided into executive, legislative and judicial branches. Due to the characteristic that Hamburg is a city-state and a municipality in Germany, the governance deals several details of state politics and community politics. It takes place in two ranks; a city-wide and...

.

Admiralty Coat of Arms of Hamburg

The Admiralty Coat of Arms of Hamburg is used for official ships of Hamburg.

History

The oldest coat of arms of Hamburg has been retained on a city seals int the 12th and 13th century. During the centuries the towers, walls, pinnacles and symbols of the coat of arms of Hamburg changed several times, without changing in character. The central castle was shown with opened doors sometimes with closed doors and with a portcullis.

The colors of version of the lesser arms of 2008 are declared by an act of law of the Senate of Hamburg on 14 May 1752. Before the tincture

Tincture (heraldry)

In heraldry, tinctures are the colours used to emblazon a coat of arms. These can be divided into several categories including light tinctures called metals, dark tinctures called colours, nonstandard colours called stains, furs, and "proper". A charge tinctured proper is coloured as it would be...

 was a red castle on white ground. Since 1952, the coat of arms and the flags are regulated by the constitution of Hamburg

Constitution of Hamburg

The Constitution of the Free and Hanseatic city of Hamburg is the basic governing document of the German city-state of Hamburg. It was approved on 6 June 1952...

. The colors of Hamburg are red and white. In general the use of city seals with the coat of arms was a privilege of the City Council. The city elders had to watch its maintenance. Even now the coat of arms is protected and can only be used under specific circumstances.

Admiralty Coat of Arms of Hamburg

In 1623, a Admiralitätskollegium (lit. admiralty council) was established to oversee the law of sea and the security of shipping, as a port authority. The coat of arms exists since 1642. In 1811 abandoned during the French

France

The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

occupation, the admiralty council was officially disestablished in 1814, and succeeded as a court instance by the Handelsgericht (trade court) and for administrative purposes by the port and shipping deputation (German title: Schifffahrts- und Hafendeputation).

External links

• http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/de-hh).html