Romanian heraldry
Encyclopedia
The armiger in Romania
is the Government
. It exercizes this right with the mandatory advice of the National Committee of Heraldry, Genealogy and Sigillography , the sole authorized body to approve coats of arms. This Committee is subordinated to the Romanian Academy
. All the coats of arms of all the Romania
n institutions must be approved by the National Committee of Heraldry, Genealogy and Sigillography. There are two big exceptions from this rule: coats of arms of the military (Romanian Armed Forces
) are subject to the Ministry of National Defense Heraldric Committee, and the law enforcement institutions (Police, Firefighters, Gendarmerie, etc.) are subject to the Ministry of Administration and Interior Heraldric Committee. The latter two committees may share members with the National Committee of Heraldry, Genealogy and Sigillography.
as Domnitor
of Wallachia
and of Moldavia
, the heraldic symbols of the two countries were united to form the coat of arms of the new state, called, since 1862, Romania
. The idea was not new: most of the Phanariotes
used the united symbols in their personal coat of arms
to express the fact that they ruled in both countries.
Until 1866, there was no official design of the coat of arms, although painter Carol Popp de Szathmary drew a few models.
came to Romania
), and the Constitution of 1 June 1866, the coat of arms was established, maintaining the idea used in the previous coat of arms. It was not changed until 1878, the year that Romania
gained its independence and became a Kingdom.
and Black Sea
's coast. After 1881, the last symbol will represent Dobrudja. Also, through use, the coat of arms' aspect was changed a bit.
, Transylvania
, Bessarabia
, Banat
, and Bukovina
united with the Kingdom of Romania
. As a result, the symbols representing the new territories were added to the coat of arms.
changed both the flag
and the coat of arms. The coat of arms was rather an emblem, faithful to the Communist pattern: a landscape (depicting a rising sun, a tractor and an oil drill) surrounded by stocks of wheat tied together with a cloth in the colors of the national flag
. Until 1966 there were three variants, the first being changed shortly after 1948 (the proclamation of the republic), and again changed in 1956 (a red star was added).
ceased to be a People's Republic, and became a Socialist Republic, thus changing the reading of the cloth from R.P.R. to REPUBLICA SOCIALISTǍ ROMÂNIA.
and the communist regime
, the communist emblem was cut out of all flags
, and removed from all official seals of the nation. Some flags
had a hole (a symbol of the revolution
), some become pure blue-yellow-red, as later officially readopted. In the place of the coat of arms
, institutions' seals bore the name of the country: ROMANIA or ROMÂNIA depending on the technology available for each institution.
adopted the current coat of arms
, by merging two proposed models, both of them inspired by the coat of arms of the Kingdom of Romania
.
of a county
and the one of an urban entity (village, commune, city, town or municipality) is a mural crown
on the top of the latter. The crown
has an odd number of towers (one, three, five or seven), depending on the importance of the urban entity in the country
or county
.
itself does not hold a coat of arms, as it does not function as a whole body. When a law is published in the Official Gazette of Romania
, it is headed by the country coat of arms
.
The two houses of Parliament
issue documents that are not laws. These documents bear in the heading the coat of arms of the issuing house.
The coat of arms of the Senate of Romania
reproduces the national coat of arms
surrounded by two olive branches tied together with a cloth in the colors of the national flag
. On the yellow section it reads SENAT, and on top of the coat of arms it reads ROMÂNIA.
The coat of arms of the Chamber of Deputies of Romania
reproduces the eagle of the national coat of arms
surrounded by two olive branches tied together with a golden cloth. Beneath the eagle it reads CAMERA DEPUTAŢILOR, and beneath the olive branches it reads ROMÂNIA.
, County Inspectorates of the Gendarmerie, County Inspectorates of the Border Police
, County Inspectorates of the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations, Units and educational institutions of the Gendarmerie, Schools of the Police
, central units and institutions of the Ministry of Administration and Interior. This coats of arms are introduced gradually, starting 2010.
Prior to this heraldric operation, the Inspectorates in the Ministry where already allowed to use their own coats of arms, used both at national and local level.
The coats of arms of all the institutions of the Ministry are eleborated by the Ministry's Geraldric Commission, and not by the National Heraldry, Sealography, and Genealogy.
is a golden crossed aquila
, with red claws and beak, standing on zeus's thunderbolt
. All the military coats of arms are created starting with this main element. The difference in rank of the military unit (central offices, batallion, regiment
, etc.) is made by the shield shape.
The coats of arms of all the institutions of the Ministry are eleborated by the Ministry's Geraldric Commission, and not by the National Heraldry, Sealography, and Genealogy.
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
is the Government
Government of Romania
The Government of Romania forms one half of the country's executive branch . It is headed by the Prime-Minister, and consists of the Ministries, various subordinated institutions and agencies, and the 42 Prefectures...
. It exercizes this right with the mandatory advice of the National Committee of Heraldry, Genealogy and Sigillography , the sole authorized body to approve coats of arms. This Committee is subordinated to the Romanian Academy
Romanian Academy
The Romanian Academy is a cultural forum founded in Bucharest, Romania, in 1866. It covers the scientific, artistic and literary domains. The academy has 181 acting members who are elected for life....
. All the coats of arms of all the Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n institutions must be approved by the National Committee of Heraldry, Genealogy and Sigillography. There are two big exceptions from this rule: coats of arms of the military (Romanian Armed Forces
Romanian Armed Forces
The Land Forces, Air Force and Naval Forces of Romania are collectively known as the Romanian Armed Forces...
) are subject to the Ministry of National Defense Heraldric Committee, and the law enforcement institutions (Police, Firefighters, Gendarmerie, etc.) are subject to the Ministry of Administration and Interior Heraldric Committee. The latter two committees may share members with the National Committee of Heraldry, Genealogy and Sigillography.
1862 - 1866
After the election of Alexandru Ioan CuzaAlexander John Cuza
Alexander John Cuza was a Moldavian-born Romanian politician who ruled as the first Domnitor of the United Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia between 1859 and 1866.-Early life:...
as Domnitor
Domnitor
Domnitor was the official title of the ruler of the United Principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia between 1859 and 1866....
of Wallachia
Wallachia
Wallachia or Walachia is a historical and geographical region of Romania. It is situated north of the Danube and south of the Southern Carpathians...
and of Moldavia
Moldavia
Moldavia is a geographic and historical region and former principality in Eastern Europe, corresponding to the territory between the Eastern Carpathians and the Dniester river...
, the heraldic symbols of the two countries were united to form the coat of arms of the new state, called, since 1862, Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
. The idea was not new: most of the Phanariotes
Phanariotes
Phanariots, Phanariotes, or Phanariote Greeks were members of those prominent Greek families residing in Phanar , the chief Greek quarter of Constantinople, where the Ecumenical Patriarchate is situated.For all their cosmopolitanism and often Western education, the Phanariots were...
used the united symbols in their personal 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...
to express the fact that they ruled in both countries.
Until 1866, there was no official design of the coat of arms, although painter Carol Popp de Szathmary drew a few models.
1866 - 1878
After 10 May 1866 (when Carol ICarol I of Romania
Carol I , born Prince Karl of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen was reigning prince and then King of Romania from 1866 to 1914. He was elected prince of Romania on 20 April 1866 following the overthrow of Alexandru Ioan Cuza by a palace coup...
came to Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
), and the Constitution of 1 June 1866, the coat of arms was established, maintaining the idea used in the previous coat of arms. It was not changed until 1878, the year that Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
gained its independence and became a Kingdom.
1872 - 1921
In 1872 the coat of arms was changed again, this time being added the heraldic symbols for OlteniaOltenia
Oltenia is a historical province and geographical region of Romania, in western Wallachia. It is situated between the Danube, the Southern Carpathians and the Olt river ....
and Black Sea
Black Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
's coast. After 1881, the last symbol will represent Dobrudja. Also, through use, the coat of arms' aspect was changed a bit.
1922 - 1947
After World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Transylvania
Transylvania
Transylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
, Bessarabia
Bessarabia
Bessarabia is a historical term for the geographic region in Eastern Europe bounded by the Dniester River on the east and the Prut River on the west....
, Banat
Banat
The Banat is a geographical and historical region in Central Europe currently divided between three countries: the eastern part lies in western Romania , the western part in northeastern Serbia , and a small...
, and Bukovina
Bukovina
Bukovina is a historical region on the northern slopes of the northeastern Carpathian Mountains and the adjoining plains.-Name:The name Bukovina came into official use in 1775 with the region's annexation from the Principality of Moldavia to the possessions of the Habsburg Monarchy, which became...
united with the Kingdom of Romania
Kingdom of Romania
The Kingdom of Romania was the Romanian state based on a form of parliamentary monarchy between 13 March 1881 and 30 December 1947, specified by the first three Constitutions of Romania...
. As a result, the symbols representing the new territories were added to the coat of arms.
People's Republic of Romania
After 1948, the Communist authoritiesCommunist Romania
Communist Romania was the period in Romanian history when that country was a Soviet-aligned communist state in the Eastern Bloc, with the dominant role of Romanian Communist Party enshrined in its successive constitutions...
changed both the flag
Flag of Romania
The national flag of Romania is a tricolour with vertical stripes: beginning from the flagpole, blue, yellow and red. It has a width-length ratio of 2:3....
and the coat of arms. The coat of arms was rather an emblem, faithful to the Communist pattern: a landscape (depicting a rising sun, a tractor and an oil drill) surrounded by stocks of wheat tied together with a cloth in the colors of the national flag
Flag of Romania
The national flag of Romania is a tricolour with vertical stripes: beginning from the flagpole, blue, yellow and red. It has a width-length ratio of 2:3....
. Until 1966 there were three variants, the first being changed shortly after 1948 (the proclamation of the republic), and again changed in 1956 (a red star was added).
Socialist Republic of Romania
The final change of the communist emblem took place in 1966, when RomaniaRomania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
ceased to be a People's Republic, and became a Socialist Republic, thus changing the reading of the cloth from R.P.R. to REPUBLICA SOCIALISTǍ ROMÂNIA.
1989 - 1992
Right after the fall of Nicolae CeauşescuNicolae Ceausescu
Nicolae Ceaușescu was a Romanian Communist politician. He was General Secretary of the Romanian Communist Party from 1965 to 1989, and as such was the country's second and last Communist leader...
and the communist regime
Communist Romania
Communist Romania was the period in Romanian history when that country was a Soviet-aligned communist state in the Eastern Bloc, with the dominant role of Romanian Communist Party enshrined in its successive constitutions...
, the communist emblem was cut out of all flags
Flag of Romania
The national flag of Romania is a tricolour with vertical stripes: beginning from the flagpole, blue, yellow and red. It has a width-length ratio of 2:3....
, and removed from all official seals of the nation. Some flags
Flag of Romania
The national flag of Romania is a tricolour with vertical stripes: beginning from the flagpole, blue, yellow and red. It has a width-length ratio of 2:3....
had a hole (a symbol of the revolution
Romanian Revolution of 1989
The Romanian Revolution of 1989 was a series of riots and clashes in December 1989. These were part of the Revolutions of 1989 that occurred in several Warsaw Pact countries...
), some become pure blue-yellow-red, as later officially readopted. In the place of 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...
, institutions' seals bore the name of the country: ROMANIA or ROMÂNIA depending on the technology available for each institution.
1992 - present
In 1992 the Parliament of RomaniaParliament of Romania
The Parliament of Romania is made up of two chambers:*The Chamber of Deputies*The SenatePrior to the modifications of the Constitution in 2003, the two houses had identical attributes. A text of a law had to be approved by both houses...
adopted the current coat of arms
Coat of arms of Romania
The coat of arms of Romania was adopted in the Romanian Parliament on 10 September 1992 as a representative coat of arms for Romania. It is based on the Lesser Coat of Arms of the Kingdom of Romania , redesigned by Victor Dima. As a central element it shows a golden aquila holding a cross in its...
, by merging two proposed models, both of them inspired by the coat of arms of the Kingdom of Romania
Kingdom of Romania
The Kingdom of Romania was the Romanian state based on a form of parliamentary monarchy between 13 March 1881 and 30 December 1947, specified by the first three Constitutions of Romania...
.
Coat of arms of county seats
The main heraldic element that helps people to distinguish between a coat of armsCoat 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...
of a county
Counties of Romania
The 41 judeţe and the municipality of Bucharest comprise the official administrative divisions of Romania. They also represent the European Union' s NUTS-3 geocode statistical subdivision scheme of Romania.-Overview:...
and the one of an urban entity (village, commune, city, town or municipality) is a mural crown
Mural crown
-Usage in ancient times:In Hellenistic culture, a mural crown identified the goddess Tyche, the embodiment of the fortune of a city, familiar to Romans as Fortuna...
on the top of the latter. The crown
Mural crown
-Usage in ancient times:In Hellenistic culture, a mural crown identified the goddess Tyche, the embodiment of the fortune of a city, familiar to Romans as Fortuna...
has an odd number of towers (one, three, five or seven), depending on the importance of the urban entity in the country
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
or county
Counties of Romania
The 41 judeţe and the municipality of Bucharest comprise the official administrative divisions of Romania. They also represent the European Union' s NUTS-3 geocode statistical subdivision scheme of Romania.-Overview:...
.
Parliament
The ParliamentParliament of Romania
The Parliament of Romania is made up of two chambers:*The Chamber of Deputies*The SenatePrior to the modifications of the Constitution in 2003, the two houses had identical attributes. A text of a law had to be approved by both houses...
itself does not hold a coat of arms, as it does not function as a whole body. When a law is published in the Official Gazette of Romania
Monitorul Oficial
Monitorul Oficial al României is the official gazette of Romania, in which all the promulgated bills, presidential decrees, governmental ordinances and other major legal acts are published.-External links:...
, it is headed by the country coat of arms
Coat of arms of Romania
The coat of arms of Romania was adopted in the Romanian Parliament on 10 September 1992 as a representative coat of arms for Romania. It is based on the Lesser Coat of Arms of the Kingdom of Romania , redesigned by Victor Dima. As a central element it shows a golden aquila holding a cross in its...
.
The two houses of Parliament
Parliament of Romania
The Parliament of Romania is made up of two chambers:*The Chamber of Deputies*The SenatePrior to the modifications of the Constitution in 2003, the two houses had identical attributes. A text of a law had to be approved by both houses...
issue documents that are not laws. These documents bear in the heading the coat of arms of the issuing house.
The coat of arms of the Senate of Romania
Senate of Romania
The Senate of Romania is the upper house in the bicameral Parliament of Romania. It has 137 seats , to which members are elected by direct popular vote, using Mixed member proportional representation in 42 electoral districts , to serve four-year terms.-Former location:After the Romanian...
reproduces the national coat of arms
Coat of arms of Romania
The coat of arms of Romania was adopted in the Romanian Parliament on 10 September 1992 as a representative coat of arms for Romania. It is based on the Lesser Coat of Arms of the Kingdom of Romania , redesigned by Victor Dima. As a central element it shows a golden aquila holding a cross in its...
surrounded by two olive branches tied together with a cloth in the colors of the national flag
Flag of Romania
The national flag of Romania is a tricolour with vertical stripes: beginning from the flagpole, blue, yellow and red. It has a width-length ratio of 2:3....
. On the yellow section it reads SENAT, and on top of the coat of arms it reads ROMÂNIA.
The coat of arms of the Chamber of Deputies of Romania
Chamber of Deputies of Romania
The Chamber of Deputies is the lower house in Romania's bicameral parliament. It has 315 seats, to which deputies are elected by direct popular vote on a proportional representation basis to serve four-year terms...
reproduces the eagle of the national coat of arms
Coat of arms of Romania
The coat of arms of Romania was adopted in the Romanian Parliament on 10 September 1992 as a representative coat of arms for Romania. It is based on the Lesser Coat of Arms of the Kingdom of Romania , redesigned by Victor Dima. As a central element it shows a golden aquila holding a cross in its...
surrounded by two olive branches tied together with a golden cloth. Beneath the eagle it reads CAMERA DEPUTAŢILOR, and beneath the olive branches it reads ROMÂNIA.
Heraldry of the Minisrty of Administration and Interior
In 2008, the Ministry of Administration and Interior decided to allow the units of the Inspectorates in its structure to use coats of arms. this refers to the County Inspectorates of PoliceRomanian Police
The Romanian Police is the national police force and main civil law enforcement agency in Romania. It is subordinated to the Ministry of Interior and Administrative Reform.-Duties:The Romanian Police are responsible for:...
, County Inspectorates of the Gendarmerie, County Inspectorates of the Border Police
Romanian Border Police
The Romanian Border Police is the structure of the Romanian Ministry of Administration and Interior responsible for the border security and passport control at border crossing points, airports and ports.-Ranks:...
, County Inspectorates of the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations, Units and educational institutions of the Gendarmerie, Schools of the Police
Romanian Police
The Romanian Police is the national police force and main civil law enforcement agency in Romania. It is subordinated to the Ministry of Interior and Administrative Reform.-Duties:The Romanian Police are responsible for:...
, central units and institutions of the Ministry of Administration and Interior. This coats of arms are introduced gradually, starting 2010.
Prior to this heraldric operation, the Inspectorates in the Ministry where already allowed to use their own coats of arms, used both at national and local level.
The coats of arms of all the institutions of the Ministry are eleborated by the Ministry's Geraldric Commission, and not by the National Heraldry, Sealography, and Genealogy.
Heraldry of the Romanian Armed Forces
Since the 18th century, the symbol of the Romanian ArmyRomanian Armed Forces
The Land Forces, Air Force and Naval Forces of Romania are collectively known as the Romanian Armed Forces...
is a golden crossed aquila
Aquila (genus)
Aquila is the genus of true eagles. It is often united with the buteos, sea eagles and other more heavyset Accipitridae, but more recently it appears as if they are less distinct from the more slender accipitrine hawks than believed...
, with red claws and beak, standing on zeus's thunderbolt
Zeus
In the ancient Greek religion, Zeus was the "Father of Gods and men" who ruled the Olympians of Mount Olympus as a father ruled the family. He was the god of sky and thunder in Greek mythology. His Roman counterpart is Jupiter and his Etruscan counterpart is Tinia.Zeus was the child of Cronus...
. All the military coats of arms are created starting with this main element. The difference in rank of the military unit (central offices, batallion, regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
, etc.) is made by the shield shape.
The coats of arms of all the institutions of the Ministry are eleborated by the Ministry's Geraldric Commission, and not by the National Heraldry, Sealography, and Genealogy.
External links
- Romanian Personal Heraldry by Tudor-Radu Tiron