Savonlinna

SAVONLINNA

Region : Etelä-Savo
Former province : 1997-2009 Itä-Suomi (until 1997 Mikkeli)
Additions : 1973 Sääminki; 2009 Savonranta; 2013 Kerimäki, Punkaharju

Official blazon

Poikittain jaettu kilpi, jonka yläkentässä on sinisellä pohjalla kultainen Pyhän Olavin linna kolmine torneineen ja linnakkeineen ja jonka ala kentässä on mustalla pohjalla hopeinen virta ja sen alla kohtisuoraan ylöspäin suunnattu Savon maakunnan kultainen jousi, jossa jänne, nuolen-kärki ja sulittettu pyrstö ovat hopeaa.

Origin/meaning

The arms were officially granted on April 13, 1938.

In the 1470s a castle, Olafsborg, was established on a rocky island in the Kyrönsalmi Strait, on the former border with Russia. The village Savonlinna developed around the castle. The oldest seal of the twon, dating from the 17th century, only shows the bow of the Savo region.

On October 4, 1788 the first arms were granted, showing the castle and showing above the gate the monorgamme of Czar Peter the Great.

The arms from 1788

In the middle of the 19th century two new arms were proposed for the city. The first was of B. Kene, showing the gate with in the upper right corner the provincial arms. The other showed the castle in base and in the upper half the arms of the province. Neither was officially approved.