Coat of arms of the Republic of Estonia
Versions
The lesser coat of arms
Details
Adopted	June 19, 1925. April 6, 1993
Escutcheon	Or, three lions passant guardant azure
Other elements	A garland of oak leaves surrounds the greater arms.

Greater coat of arms of capital city Tallinn

Seal of Tallinn, 1340.

Coat of Arms of Estonia. The current coat of arms of Estonia is a golden shield which includes three slim, blue leopards (or lions passant guardant) in the middle, with oak branches along the side of the shield. The insignia was copied from the coat of arms of Denmark, which ruled Northern Estonia in the 13th century.

The Riigikogu (the state assembly) of the independent Republic of Estonia officially adopted the coat of arms on June 19, 1925.

However, the coat of arms were officially banned following the occupation of Estonia by the Soviet Union in 1940, and replaced with the Soviet-inspired Coat of arms of the Estonian SSR. Soviet officials persecuted and jailed anyone using the coat of arms or the national colors of Estonia. The readoption of the national symbols marked the completion of the struggle for independence which was finally achieved on August 7, 1990, and regulated by the Law on State Coat of Arms of April 6, 1993.

[edit] References

• Estonian Institute National symbols of Estonia. Retrieved October 30, 2005.