Coat of arms of Bulgaria
| Coat of arms of Bulgaria | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Details | |
| Armiger | Republic of Bulgaria |
| Adopted | 1997 |
| Crest | Crown of the Second Bulgarian Empire |
| Escutcheon | Gules, a lion rampant crowned Or |
| Supporters | Two lions rampant Or crowned Or |
| Compartment | Two crossed oak branches with fruits |
| Motto |
Съединението прави силата "Saedinenieto pravi silata" "Unity makes strength" |
The coat of arms of Bulgaria (Bulgarian: Герб на България, [ɡɛrp nɐ bɐɫˈɡarijɐ]) consists of a crowned golden lion rampant over a dark red shield; above the shield is the Bulgarian historical crown. The shield is supported by two crowned golden lions rampant; below the shield there is compartment in the shape of oak twigs and white bands with the national motto "Unity makes strength" inscribed on them.
The current coat of arms of Bulgaria was adopted in 1997. The current arms are a slightly redesigned version of the coat of arms of Bulgaria from the period 1927–1946. Those arms were based on a similar earlier form, firstly used by Tsar Ferdinand I (1887–1918) as his personal ruler's coat of arms. The previous emblem, which combined the traditional gold lion rampant with the pattern of the coat of arms of the Soviet Union, was abandoned since Communist rule ended in the country in 1989. The new Constitution of Bulgaria, adopted in 1991, describes the Bulgarian coat of arms as follows:
For many years, agreement on the design of the coat of arms was a source of great controversy in the Bulgarian government, as different parties argued over the design elements. The final design was legitimized in the Law for the coat of arms of the Republic of Bulgaria of 4 August 1998:
Art. 1. The coat of arms of the Republic of Bulgaria shall be a state symbol expressing the independence and the sovereignty of the Bulgarian people and state.
Art. 2. (1) The coat of arms of the Republic of Bulgaria shall be a rampant golden crowned lion on a dark red field with the shape of a shield. Above the shield there shall be a big crown which originally were the crowns of Bulgarian Tsars (i.e. Emperors) of the Second Bulgarian state with five crosses and another cross over the crown. The shield shall be supported by two golden crowned rampant lions, turned towards the shield from the right and left heraldic sides. They shall stand above two crossed oak branches with fruits. Below the shield, over a white band put over the oak branches with a three-colored edge, shall be written with golden letters "Unity makes strength".
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