Coat of arms of La Rioja

The Spanish autonomous community and province of La Rioja has a coat of arms, which was assigned to the former province of Logroño in 1957, and to the present autonomous community on its foundation in 1982. It consists of a shield which is divided vertically into two halves, featuring respectively the Cross of Saint James and a castle, and is surmounted by a royal crown. Also depicted are Monte Laturce and the Ebro river.

According to the third article of the Statute of Autonomy of La Rioja, Organic Law 3/1982:

According to the sixth and seventh article of Law 4/1985, May 31 (BOLR n. 64, June 4):

The arms must appear:

There is also a simplified version of the arms, more symbolic and suitable for black and white and color sketch reproductions, according to Corporative Identity Manual, Decree 20/2003, 20 May 2003, which defines the Institutional Graphic identity of Autonomous Community of La Rioja and its President (BOR n. 70, June 5, 2003).

A non-official description, but more theoretically correct according to classic heraldry would be:

The present shield was approved 5 April 1957 by decree of the Ministry of the Interior (then known as Ministerio de la Gobernación), for use by the then province of Logroño. Those were the same arms adopted by the autonomous community of La Rioja in 1985.

The images on the left side relate to the Way of St. James, which crosses La Rioja from East to West: they are the red cross of Santiago (St. James); below it Monte Laturce, recalling the fictional Battle of Clavijo); and beside the cross are two pilgrim shells. On the right side, the castle has an integrating function, as all the largest municipalities (except Calahorra) show a castle on their arms. Under it is depicted the Ebro river, which irrigates the lands of La Rioja.

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