Venezia

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VENEZIA

Region : Veneto
Province : Venezia

Official blazon
Italian	D’azzurro, al leone d’oro, alato e nimbato dello stesso, con testa posta di fronte, accovacciato, tenente tra le zampe anteriori avanti al petto il libro d’argento aperto dell’Evangelo scritto delle parole a lettere maiuscole romane di nero PAX TIBI MARCE [la pace sia con te Marco…] nella prima facciata in quattro righe ed EVANGELISTA MEUS […mio evangelista] nella seconda facciata, similmente in quattro righe. Lo scudo di forma veneta sarà timbrato dal corno dogale.
English	Azure a lion couchant guardant Or winged and haloed of the same, holding between the front paws in front of the chest an open book of the Gospel Argent inscribed in Roman capitals Sable PAX TIBI MARCE [peace be with you Mark] on the dexter page in four lines and EVANGELISTA MEUS [my evangelist] on the sinister page, similarly in four lines. The Venetian-style shield is ensigned with the Doge's crown.

Origin/meaning

Venezia (Venice) was founded in 452. The patron saint in St. Mark, and the arms show his symbol. I have two versions of these arms, and I am not sure which are currently used. The arms are used since medieval times, and are also part of the arms of several popes, who were archbishops of Venice.

The Venetian Republic was in the 12th-16^th century an important economic power in the Eastern Mediterranean. The Republic had many possessions around the Adriatic and Mediterranean seas, which was reflected in the arms of the Republic. The arms showed all possessions and claimed areas (like Jeruzalem), and were covered by the hat of the Doge, the 'president' of the republic.