It's interesting. If you ask a search engine about the coat of arms of Liverpool, then almost all the results will refer to the symbol of the famous football club. But the city has its own official symbol. It is different from the FC sign. Combines their common element.
A bit of history
It is known that the coat of arms of Liverpool appeared in 1797. Many of its components were created in the traditions of classicism, that is, in the 17th century. Individual elements are attributed to an older time.
In the 13th century, the city was founded by King John, known as John the Landless. So, a bird with a gorse branch in its beak evokes associations with the Plantagenet dynasty. In those days, the city was engaged in fishing.
Description of coat of arms
There are many characters and symbols on the coat of arms of Liverpool:
- Shield - a bird is placed inside, holding seaweed with its beak. On the shield is a wreath of flowers. There was another bird on it. It differs from the first in its raised wings. The bird has a long beak and massive legs.
- Neptune –placed to the right of the shield. Dressed in a green robe. Depicted naked, only a belt of algae covers him in front. His hair, mustache and beard are brown, and on his head is a crown with five points. He holds a trident in his right hand, a banner with the image of a bird from a shield in his left hand.
- Triton - placed to the left of the shield. He has a tail instead of legs, and the same seaweed belt around his waist. His beard is smaller than that of Neptune, although the color of his hair is the same. With his right hand he holds a banner on which a ship on the waves is depicted, with his left hand he holds a shell, which he puts to his lips.
- Motto - placed below the feet of Neptune and Triton. On it is written in Latin letters: “God gave us this lightness.”
The bird is often used in the symbols of Liverpool. It is also called a liver. So what is the bird on the coat of arms of Liverpool?
Bird
In the 14th century, the city was a fishing village, and already in the 16th century it received a boost in development, becoming a point for the transfer of troops from England to Ireland.
There are many versions regarding the bird on the coat of arms of Liverpool. Some experts believe that this is a time-distorted image of an eagle, which was depicted on the seal of John the Landless. Allegedly, the seal was not made very carefully and the bird only remotely resembled an eagle. Other researchers call it cormorant. It was these birds that were found in Liverpool from time immemorial. Then you can explain why there are algae in her beak. Birds build nests from them. There are those who believe that the species of an eagle and a cormorant was taken as the basis for the feathered one. It's very hard to figure this out.even connoisseurs of heraldry.
Perhaps the liver is a mythical bird like a firebird or a phoenix. It has become a real symbol of the city. In 1911, the Royal Building was built for him. On the towers placed bronze livery. The locals even came up with a legend. It says that if a person who is completely honest and unselfish passes by the building, the bronze symbols of Liverpool come to life and briefly flap their wings. The towers look very mysterious, attracting visitors to the city. The birds on them have a greenish tint due to the oxidation of the bronze.
Liver is so popular that the famous football team made him his symbol and mascot. Liverpool consider him theirs and even tried to fix it at the official level.
Attempt to "steal" the coat of arms of the city
In 2008, Liverpool FC wanted to get the intellectual property rights to the image of a bird. Thus, the club's management hoped to stop the distribution of fake merchandise with the image of the liver.
The city authorities not only did not support this idea, but also accused the representatives of the FC in an attempt to assign the coat of arms of Liverpool. And since it was the football players who borrowed the iconic image, they do not have the rights to it, at least to the extent that they would like it.
