Coat of arms of Albania. Incident with the flag at the football match "Serbia - Albania"

The country of mountain eagles and bunkers - such associations usually come to the mind of a person who hears the name “Albania”. This country is also often called the hidden pearl of the Mediterranean. If you are interested in Albania, the flag and coat of arms of this country, this article is for you!

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The Republic of Albania is a small state located on the Balkan Peninsula. Albania is washed by the waters of two seas at once - the Adriatic and Ionian. Among the inhabitants of this country are not only Albanians, but also Romanians, Macedonians, Greeks, Serbs and Roma. Muslims coexist with Catholics and Orthodox Christians.

The history of Albania is unique: the republic was at one time a principality and kingdom, ruled by Germany and Italy. Today Albania is a parliamentary republic headed by a president. The Council of Ministers is an executive body. The main national holiday is Independence Day, which is celebrated on November 28. The Republic of Albania has a flag, anthem and coat of arms - all symbols of the state.

Skiperia: how the second name of Albania appeared

Albanians proudly call their country Skiperia - the country of mountain eagles. The history of the republic is connected with these birds. During its liberation from the Turkish yoke and Ottoman slavery, all battles took place under a flag with the image of an eagle. Another reason for this name is the large number of eagles. Their flights can be observed over the Albanian mountains. Eagles do not approach populated areas.

Defensive structures: where do bunkers come from in Albania?

By the time the Second World War began, the country of Albania was like a medieval state. The reason for this was the yoke that lasted several hundred years. During the fighting, Albania was occupied by the Italians. A partisan movement began to develop in the country. Its leaders, by the way, were captivated by communist ideas. Having come to power in the post-war period, Enver Hoxha decided to build a large Soviet communism in a small coastal country. Most of all, Hoxha feared an external enemy. In order to protect the country, local residents began building bunkers. Even when times of famine began in Albania, construction did not stop, and moreover, bunkers were built from the best concrete! Today, almost all defensive structures are abandoned, and no one dares to name their exact number: it ranges from 600 to 900 thousand. And this is with a population of 3.5 million people!

The main symbol of independence of the Republic of Albania: the flag

A red canvas with proportions 5:7, in the center of which is a black double-headed eagle - this is what the flag of this republic looks like. There are two versions of the appearance of the eagle on the canvas:

The main version is that Albanians are the descendants of these proud birds.
The second version says that the Albanians borrowed the eagle from the coat of arms of the Byzantine Empire.

Be that as it may, the black eagle today is the personification of the fight against the Turks. The red background symbolizes the blood of the republic's patriots shed in this fierce struggle.

Simple drawing - deep meaning: coat of arms of Albania

The combination of a black two-headed bird and a red background is not only a flag, but also the coat of arms of the republic. The coat of arms differs from the flag by the presence of the golden helmet of the great commander George Scandenberg. This statesman in 1443 was the leader of the struggle for the unification of the country. It was he who made repeated forays behind Turkish lines. He died in 1468 from malaria. His death entailed the death of Albanian sovereignty. The country was under the yoke for more than four centuries, but in 1912 an anti-Turkish uprising returned Albania's independence. And in the same year, the eagle “flew” onto the state symbols of the Republic of Albania - the flag and coat of arms.

In the 20th century, the small European state twice became a tragic point on the world map, since it was after the events that took place here that world wars and the redistribution of the world began. The coat of arms of Albania becomes a vivid symbol of the desire for freedom and independence. It was identical to the coat of arms of Byzantium, which at one time opposed the aggression of the Ottoman Empire.

Simplicity of design and depth of meaning

For its main official symbol, Albania chose the image of a stylized double-headed eagle. It appeared on local coats of arms and shields in the 15th century, immediately taking on the role of a symbol of independence. The color scheme of the emblem is restrained: a scarlet (red) shield with a gold border along the contour; black double-headed eagle; golden helmet of the great Scandenberg.

This coat of arms looks very strict, slightly threatening due to the chosen color for the bird of prey. Representatives of the ancient feudal family of Kastrioti had a similar coat of arms. True, the shield was golden in color, with a white star with six ends completing the composition on top.

George Skandenberg is one of the most prominent representatives of this family, who went down in the history of Albania as a great commander and statesman. It was he who in 1443 became the leader of the struggle for the unification of the country and independence from its neighbors. The strategist and tactician successfully resisted the Turkish invasion, and he himself repeatedly made forays behind enemy lines. His death from malaria entailed dire consequences; there were no military leaders equal to him in Albania, and the country fell under the yoke of the Turks for more than four hundred years. But the red and black colors and the eagle forever became symbols of freedom for the local population.

In addition, there was a popular belief that Albanians are the descendants of eagles, great and proud birds. And even the name of the state can be translated from Albanian as “Country of Eagles.”

Return of freedom

The anti-Turkish uprising that occurred in 1912 returned the country's independence. Among the first, most important things was the approval of the main national symbols. In memory of the great Skandenberg, the eagle took its place on the coat of arms of Albania. In 1926, another symbol was added, also associated with the name of the great commander - a golden helmet.

After World War II, communists came to power in Albania and tried to change the main symbol of the country in the spirit of their older Soviet brother. Another element appeared - a wheat wreath, which symbolized an important sector of the country's economy. The wreath was surrounded by a red ribbon, on which was the date of the country's liberation from the Nazis. In 1991, Albania returned to the original version of the coat of arms.

The latest version of the coat of arms of Albania was approved in 2008.

The coat of arms of Albania is an image of a black double-headed eagle located on a red shield. Above the eagle is Skanderbeg's helmet. The helmet is a helmet with a crest shaped like a goat's head. It is believed that the eagle is a borrowed symbol from the Byzantine Empire, with which the Albanian principalities bordered. Red and black are the national colors. In national identity they are associated with the struggle for independence, as well as resilience.

George Kastrioti Skanderbeg is the national hero of Albania. In the 15th century, it was George who led the policy of unifying the Albanian lands. Actively opposed the Ottoman Empire. In 1443, Albanian elders proclaimed him the leader of the Albanians. He renounced Islam. Later he defeated the Ottomans on the Black Drin. In the autumn of the same year (November 1443) he was declared head of the principality of Kastrioti. In 1453 he captured Constantinople.

The helmet of George (George) Kastrioti Skanderbeg is a national relic treasure.

Historical coats of arms of Albania

Coat of arms of Georg Kastrioti Skanderbeg (XV century)

Apparently, it was this coat of arms that served as the basis for the creation of the coat of arms of Albania.

Coat of arms of the Principality of Albania from 1914 to 1928

There are two known coats of arms of Albania from this time period. On one of the coats of arms on the chest of the eagle there is a yellow shield with a depiction of a peacock.

At this time, Albania was occupied by Italy. Fasces appeared on the coat of arms - a symbol of Roman power.

The emblem was made in accordance with the emblem (coat of arms) of the USSR.

Sources

Schmitt, Oliver Jens. "Arberia Vendike (1392-1479)". Tirane: K&B, 2007
Angelo, Paolo; Laporta, Alessandro; Giovio, Paolo; Franco (1539), La vita di Scanderbeg di Paolo Angelo, ISBN 978-88-8086-571-1
Nicol, Donald MacGillivray (1993), The last centuries of Byzantium, 1261–1453, Cambridge University Press, ISBN 978-0-521-43991-6

Off the coast of the Adriatic and Ionian Sea. This is a country with a centuries-old history, which is reflected in its national symbols. Flag and coat of arms of Albania - what are they? What do they show?

Coat of arms of Albania

The coat of arms of this Balkan country is a red shield of a traditional shape, on which there is a silhouette of a black double-headed eagle. Above the bird's heads is the so-called Skanderbeg helmet in the shape of a goat's head.

To understand the meaning of these symbols, it is necessary to familiarize yourself with the history of the country of Albania. It is no coincidence that the flag and coat of arms of the state contain the image of an eagle. According to folk legend, the descendants of this particular bird are modern Albanians. And the name of the country in Albanian sounds like “Skiperia”. Translated into Russian this means: “country of eagles”.

In 1443, the country was led by the outstanding commander George Skanderbeg. He managed to unite the state and maintain its independence. At this time he “settled” on the country’s banner. However, after the death of Skanderbeg, Albania fell under the Turkish yoke. The image of an eagle on the Albanian coat of arms went underground for 450 years. The symbol was restored only in 1912.

In 1944, Albania managed to free itself from German occupation on its own. The communists came to power in the country. They did not touch the black eagle on the state emblem, but surrounded it with ears of wheat. In addition, a red five-pointed star, a worldwide symbol of communism, shone above the eagle’s heads.

Albania: flag and its description

What is the Albanian national flag? This is a red rectangular canvas with an aspect ratio of 5:7. What is depicted on the Albanian flag? This is the same double-headed black eagle - a centuries-old symbol of the state.

Albania has a complicated history. It is no coincidence that the flag of the state is a symbol of the shed blood of Albanian patriots, shed in the struggle for independence, primarily against the Turkish enslavers.

The black double-headed eagle was transferred to the Albanian flag from the country's national coat of arms. This version of the banner was approved in 1992. Sometimes you can also see Skanderbeg's helmet on the Albanian flag.

Albania: flag and its history

On some canvases of the Albanian flag today you can see a red five-pointed star framed in yellow. This version of the banner was approved in 1946, after the communists came to power in Albania. In 1992, the modern form of the flag of the Balkan state was approved.

In 1912, Albania gained independence from the Ottoman Empire. It was then that the black traditional eagle returned to the coat of arms and flag of the young republic.

Historians know that the red banner with the double-headed silhouette of an eagle served as a symbol of the army of George Skanderbeg (Kastriot) back in the 15th century. Under this flag, Albanian warriors successfully resisted the Turkish conquerors. Legend has it that the Albanians themselves are descendants of mountain eagles, which is why the animal is depicted on the country's flag. True, there is another version, according to which this eagle migrated to Albania from the coat of arms of the Byzantine Empire.

Incident with the flag at the football match "Serbia - Albania"

On October 14, 2014, as part of the qualifying tournament for the European Championship 2016, the Serbia - Albania football match took place. The flag-banner of the latter state caused the disruption of the game and a grandiose battle between fans and players of both countries.

It’s worth mentioning right away that relations between the two Balkan states can hardly be called friendly. They became especially acute after the Kosovo conflict. Nevertheless, the football teams from these countries ended up in the same qualifying group (which is very strange, since UEFA usually does not allow such teams to meet: Azerbaijan never plays with Armenia, Russian clubs deliberately “divorced” from Ukrainian ones, etc.) .

In the 44th minute of the match, a remote-controlled helicopter appeared over the stadium. Attached to it was a huge banner with the coat of arms and a map of the so-called Greater Albania, which covered the territories of Serbia, Montenegro, Bulgaria and Macedonia. One of the Serbian football players, seeing the banner, jumped up and tore it off. The Albanian national team players immediately pounced on him. Soon the fans also joined the brawl, actively using flares and torn off seats from the stands.

Of course, the match was abandoned.

Finally...

Albania is a small state in the Balkans with a centuries-old history. The flag and coat of arms of the country depict a black double-headed eagle - a symbol that has been known since the 15th century.

Simplicity of design and depth of meaning

In addition, there was a popular belief that Albanians are the descendants of eagles, great and proud birds. And even the name of the state can be translated from Albanian as “Country of Eagles.”