What our Russian flag looks like. Tricolor: how the Russian flag appeared

Until the beginning of the 17th century, our country did not have a state banner. Alexei Mikhailovich, the ruler of the Romanov dynasty, who anticipated the intensive activity of Peter I in this direction, supervised the construction of the Russian fleet. When a shipbuilding specialist, the Dutchman David Butler, created the first warship, the Eagle, he asked for a banner to be raised on this occasion.

According to the traditions of Western states, the ship had to be marked with some kind of banner. The confused king asked the opinion of foreign masters and they proposed the option that was accepted in their homeland. It looked like a multi-colored striped cloth, parts of which were red, white and blue colors. The coloring repeated the one that was on the coat of arms of the capital, Alexei Mikhailovich liked it and he heeded the hint, ordering panels of these shades for the ships.

The symbolism of the modern Russian flag at that time meant the following.

White color at this time was a symbol of freedom.
Blue was traditionally associated with the image of the Mother of God, patronizing the defenders of the Russian land.
Red was associated with the courage and bravery of those who are ready to die for their homeland.

When Peter I came to power, he issued a decree that changed the color of the canvas raised on Russian warships. They now walked under a white banner, crossed crosswise with a blue ribbon - the flag of St. Andrew the First-Called.

The king revered this saint. At that time, an order named after him was established in the country, which was restored in 1998 as the highest award Russian Federation. The Emperor even added this order to the neck of the double-headed eagle depicted on the coat of arms. Thus, the tricolor cloth began to be lifted exclusively on merchant ships.

A sea tale is connected with the history of the appearance of the tricolor. According to it, sailors who confused the order of colors on the banner were subjected to unpleasant corporal punishment. By order of the command, those who were guilty were to be flogged. Savvy sailors came up with a kind of “cheat sheet”, the word “BeSiK” (white-blue-red). Legend claims that after this the number of punishments was greatly reduced.

Another historical fact, associated with the “maritime” adventures of the tricolor, has a later origin. At the beginning of the 19th century, a Russian expedition to the coast of South Sakhalin for the first time replaced the traditional memorial cross, which was placed on the newly conquered lands, with two flags: St. Andrew's and Russian.

However, neither the first nor the second were still recognized as official state symbols. A banner that would legitimately demonstrate the country was chosen only for 19th century. It was very different from what we were used to.

One of the main representatives of the heraldic chamber, Baron Bernard Köhne, persuaded Alexander II to make the standard the same as the coat of arms. The colors chosen were black, yellow and white, which symbolized the colors of the flag of the Russian Empire, which lasted until the mid-19th century. This innovation was not accepted by the people, because the new symbol was very similar to the symbol of Austria.

And only Alexander III returned to the original version, approved two centuries ago by Alexei Mikhailovich. The meaning of the three colors remained the same as at that time, and the black-yellow-white canvas became the family sign of the royal dynasty.

After the revolution of 1917, the new government abolished the old symbols, replacing them with a bright scarlet canvas with the letters RSFS in the upper left part. Along with the creation of the USSR on December 30, 1922, a new sovereign symbol appeared, the main elements of which were the sickle, hammer and five-pointed star. The return to the tricolor occurred after the 1991 coup d'etat.

At the beginning of the 21st century, by decree of the current President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, the law on the “State Flag of the Russian Federation” was added to the Constitution.

With the tricolor banner, many people associated hopes for a strong, strong country, which is regaining its position, which was shaken during the difficult period at the end of the century. It became a symbol of national unity, the revival of the country, and people's pride.

In Tsarist Russia there was no specific punishment for desecration of the banner, but any desecration of this state sign was equated to disrespect for the authorities. Currently, using a banner improperly can result in a fine or even imprisonment. The American rock band, whose vocalist allowed himself to do this, was banned from entering the country for five years, and their compositions and video clips were removed from all radio and television channels.

The latest statistical survey showed that more than 20% of our compatriots cannot arrange the colors of the tricolor in the correct order and answer what all three colors of the Russian flag mean. The rest of the citizens have a good idea of this state symbol.

What do the colors of the Russian state flag mean?

National standards are objects of modern heraldry. Among the world states there are those who have retained specific national attributes that allow outside observers to distinguish their banner from many others. Most of them, including the Russian insignia, are devoid of frills and look strict.

Currently, the meaning of this state symbol is not recorded in any official source. You can take as a basis the historical interpretation of Peter’s times, or you can go into the world history of the meaning of color and put forward your own version. There are a number of unofficial interpretations and assumptions explaining what the tricolor of the Russian flag means.

A popular reading in tsarist times was the following:

White – freedom.
Blue is faith.
Red – sovereignty.

Another version of this interpretation would be the statement that the symbolism and colors of the stripes of the flag of the Russian Federation mean the unity of the people, Orthodox faith and royal power. This triad was fixed in the minds of people in the form of the Russian motto: “For faith, the Tsar and the Fatherland” and in the theory of the ideologist of that time Uvarov “Orthodoxy, autocracy, nationality.”

One of the beautiful classical interpretations says that the colors of the Russian flag mean the unity of Faith (blue), Hope (white) and Love (red).

Another possible interpretation is the likening of the three shades to the historical regions of the Russian Empire. Modern version This version says that the stripes of the Russian flag mean the connection between three countries, Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, going back to the depths of time.

Those who are interested in the culture of the ancient Slavs compare its colors with the model of world building that existed in those days. In their opinion, the red stripe is the underworld, the blue stripe is the human world, and the white stripe is the heavenly stripe, the place where the gods live.

What do the three colors on the Russian flag mean: white

In classical heraldic language, white was equal to silver. Its inclusion in any attribute of state symbols meant the country’s desire for purity of thoughts and innocence. A universal image of the innocence of the soul. It is also the color of holiness, which refers to qualities such as sincerity, honesty and humility. It is also a sign of wisdom and perfection. He is associated with the element of air. In the world tradition, this color also represents nobility and openness.

What does the Russian flag mean by color: blue in the symbolism of Russia

If we remember the dominant role of the church and the fact that modern Russia actively promotes itself as an Orthodox power, we can assume that Blue colour is a symbol of the Virgin Mary. Her cult has existed in the country for a very long time, which allows us to interpret the blue stripe as a sign that the state is under her protection.

However, on the world stage, Russia is positioned as a secular state, so this interpretation should be used carefully. In the world tradition, blue is interpreted as the color of divine beauty, greatness and chastity. Traditionally understood as a symbol of faith and fidelity, constancy, peace of mind and harmony. It personifies the water element, therefore it is considered the color of life.

What does each color on the Russian flag mean: red

The red color was called red, scarlet. It is considered a symbol of courage, bravery, and military valor. It is also traditionally associated with the color of blood, which emphasizes the desire of the people to stand for their Fatherland not for life but for death. IN Christian tradition symbol of martyrdom. People associate love with the color red. Soviet times left their mark, which made this shade the color of truth and a symbol of a just cause. The red stripe can also refer to such a category as “unity of government and people.” It was the color of sovereign power; this meaning was preserved in church symbolism.

What do the 3 colors of the Russian flag mean: let’s summarize

At the moment, the most common unofficial, but generally accepted version claims that the stripes on the Russian flag mean:

White – purity, sincerity, perfection.
Blue – faith and fidelity.
Red – courage, strength and blood shed in defense of the Motherland.

The following information will be of interest to designers and simply curious people. In our country, since 1998, a state standard has been in force, according to which strictly defined shades are established that make up the colors of the Russian standard (GOST R 51130-98):

White (color without additional shades).
Blue (pantone 286C) (solid coated).
Red (Pantone 485C) (solid coated).

The banner, along with the anthem and coat of arms, represents the country at various events, both local and global. It unites people throughout the country and makes them realize their involvement in something global. This is an important symbol that has a long history, and we hope that our article helped you to experience this once again.

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The history of a large country is made up of the history of the families who live in it. To know and respect your past means to honor your Motherland. Remember this and fill in the gaps in the chronicle of your family.

Today, June 12, the whole country is celebrating Russia Day. Some even consider this holiday to be Independence Day, but this is not entirely true. In 1990, it was on this day that the Declaration of State Sovereignty of the RSFSR was adopted, and right today the President of the Russian Federation will present the State Prize of the Russian Federation in the Kremlin. Well, on this holiday we decided to tell you how the Russian tricolor appeared.

All state flags trace their history back to the ancients. banners- banners stretched between two poles, indicating the warriors’ belonging to a particular army or clan. The banners raised the morale of the troops and intimidated opponents. In shape they most often resembled a dovetail or a triangle. Color meant a lot to them - most military leaders preferred red as the color of blood and victory, but yellow, green, white and even black were also popular colors.

When simple flowers were no longer enough, people began to put images on banners - mainly the coats of arms of their cities or families. At the same time, Christian symbolism prevailed in Europe - the cross, the savior on horseback, defeating the devil and various inscriptions. In the East it could be dragons, peacocks or exotic flowers.

Great banner of Ivan the Terrible

In Rus', they preferred to make banners in the shape of a beveled trapezoid and depicted biblical scenes, faces of saints and various inscriptions on them. Already in the chronicle of the 1550s it is said about the siege of Kazan: “ ANDThe sovereign ordered the Christian cherubs to unfurl, that is, the banner, on them the image of our Lord Jesus Christ, Not Made by Hands, and was hoisted on top life-giving cross, like his ancestor, our sovereign, the venerable Grand Duke Dmitry on the Don" One and a half century banner Ivan the Terrible accompanied the Russian army in battles and campaigns. But Ivan the Terrible also had the famous “ great banner" Near the shaft, on an azure field, was depicted Saint Michael on horseback. Christ is depicted on a “sugar” colored slope. The banner had a common border of “lingonberry” color, and the slope had an additional border of “poppy” color.

Banner of Peter I

Then, when Peter I, the banner changed again. A double-headed eagle on a red background was now inscribed in the same form, as if soaring in the air above sailing ships. The Savior, the Holy Spirit and the apostles Peter and Paul were depicted on the eagle's chest.

Ship "Eagle"

Then the history of the flag is lost, returning only to the times of Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov and the ship "Eagle". At the same time, there are several hypotheses for the emergence of the modern (or close to modern) tricolor. The king himself had to decide what color the flag would be, flying on the mast of the ship. His decision could have been influenced by how Dutch Butler, who supervised the construction "Orla", and the usual colors of the Moscow coat of arms, but the result was the same - for the first time the world saw the Russian flag, consisting of three multi-colored stripes - white, blue and red. It was also prescribed to depict eagles on ship flags.

There are no accurate images of the flags sewn to Romanov’s order, but historians have several versions of what they could have looked like:

The flag could be a panel with a blue straight cross and two white and two red wings, which is supported by the image of some engravings;

A flag, like the Dutch one, could have three horizontal stripes of white, blue and red;

Some engravings show that the flag had a white stripe down the middle;

And some historians claim that in addition to the stripes, there was definitely a golden double-headed eagle on the flag.

However, even under Alexei Mikhailovich, along with the tricolor, there were many other flags.

Flag of the Tsar of Moscow

The tricolor was also used in voyages by Peter I, who raised it as a standard on August 6, 1693. Flag of the Tsar of Moscow"- a tricolor similar to the modern Russian flag, with a golden double-headed eagle in the middle. The three stripe flag began to be used as the naval flag of Russia.

This flag was used until 1712, until the St. Andrew's flag was approved as a naval flag. The white-blue-red flag became the flag of civilian ships.

Flag of armorial colors

However, even then the standard tricolor did not receive official status as a national flag. And until 1858, Russia, in fact, did not have any flag. But in 1858, Alexander II introduced black-yellow-white “ coat of arms flag", inspired by the colors of the Austrian flag. This was probably the influence of the German diaspora in pro-government circles.

The Russians were not delighted with this color scheme - the choice of colors was too reminiscent of Germany. Therefore, legally there was one flag, but the people considered another as theirs - the good old tricolor of Peter I. The contradiction was eliminated by Alexander III, who, together with the heraldic commission, decided that only the white-blue-red flag should be used to decorate buildings on special occasions.

Flag of the RSFSR

It would seem that we could stop there, but after October revolution The flag of Russia became a simple red banner, to which stylized images of a hammer and sickle were then added.

But the familiar tricolor returned again - after the coup in 1991. The Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR adopted the white-blue-red flag as the official national flag of the country. This is how he remains to this day.

White, blue and red- not random colors, each of them has its own meaning. White- nobility and frankness; blue- fidelity, honesty, impeccability and chastity; red- courage, boldness, generosity and love.

Happy Russia Day!

MOSCOW, August 22 – RIA Novosti. The national flag of Russia was born in the Russian fleet, and was first raised on the ship "Eagle" in the spring of 1669 after fabrics were received for its sewing good quality, Evgeny Pchelov, candidate of historical sciences, head of the department of the Historical and Archival Institute of the Russian State University for the Humanities, told RIA Novosti.

On Thursday, Russia celebrates National Flag Day.

“The Russian flag, like many other flags, owes its birth to the fleet. On June 19, 1667, Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich ordered the construction of ships “for parcels from Astrakhan to the Khvalynsk (that is, Caspian) Sea.” The construction of the ships was carried out in the village of Dedinovo on the Oka River, where by May 1669 the first Russian flotilla was built, which consisted of a large three-masted ship and several smaller ships,” the scientist said.

“The construction of the first Russian fleet was led by Dutch craftsmen, who at that time were considered the best shipbuilders in Europe. Involved in hiring specialists and purchasing for the construction of ships necessary materials The Dutch merchant Jan van Sweden, who lived in Moscow, in his painting also mentioned a certain amount of fabric needed for sewing banners, “and with flowers .., as the great sovereign will indicate; only on ships it happens, which state the ship is, that state there is a banner ", added Pchelov. “In other words, we were talking about the state flag of Russia, which was supposed to be raised on the ship under construction,” the historian emphasized.

Selecting flag colors

According to him, the colors of the flag were not immediately determined. “Only on April 9, 1668, they sent to the Siberian order (from where it was possible to get good fabrics of eastern production) - it was ordered to send the required amount of fabrics “worm-like, white, azure, for shipbuilding for banners and for yalovchiki (that is, pennants).” Thus This is how the colors of the flags were determined: red, white and blue flowers"- said Pchelov.

“However, the fabrics were not issued immediately, but only in the spring of 1669. Then on a ship that was named “Eagle” (in honor of Russian coat of arms) and the first Russian flag was raised. The ship itself should have been decorated with images of double-headed eagles, and double-headed eagles should have been sewn onto the ship’s flags,” the scientist noted.

But what exactly the Eagle flag looked like is a debatable question, Pchelov added. “One can, however, assume that the flag of the “Eagle” had three stripes. In any case, in the engraving from the book of the sailing master Jan Struys, who described the voyage of the “Eagle” along the Oka and Volga, the ship is depicted with a flag consisting of three horizontal stripes. At the same time, middle lane“white, and the top and bottom are dark,” he said.

Decree of Peter I

The colors of the stripes of the Eagle flag coincided with the colors of the Dutch flag (red, white and blue). "But the Russian flags of the Orel ship were very important detail- double-headed eagles sewn into the center of the cloth. It’s difficult to say what color they were, but researchers believe they were gold,” Pchelov said.

"In 1693, in Arkhangelsk, which was to become one of the first centers of Peter's shipbuilding, on his yacht "St. Peter" Peter I raised a white-blue-red three-stripe flag with a golden double-headed eagle in the center. This so-called "flag of the Tsar of Moscow" became known in Europe during the Great Embassy of 1697-1698 (that is, Peter’s first trip abroad), it was he who symbolized Russia in the international arena,” the agency’s interlocutor said.

At the same time, there were other flags of the Russian fleet. There was a search for the most suitable options, and therefore flags with different compositional solutions, added Pchelov.

“The very end of the 17th century dates back to a hand-written drawing of Peter I depicting a three-stripe white-blue-red flag, but without a double-headed eagle. It was installed for civilian and merchant ships. On January 20, 1705, according to the decree of Peter I, “on all kinds of merchant ships” there must be banners of a certain type. The Naval Regulations of 1720 stipulated that “Russian merchant ships must have a striped flag of three colors: white, blue, red.” The Russian navy sailed under the St. Andrew’s flag, also created by Peter,” Pchelov said.

“The white-blue-red flag remained the Russian flag until 1858, when the national flag was officially recognized as a black-yellow-white flag, the colors of which coincided with the colors of the coat of arms of the Russian Empire, but in 1883 Alexander III “restored” the white-blue- the red flag as a national flag and it remained so until February 1917,” the historian added.

The Russian flag is a tricolor. The flag consists of three equal horizontal stripes. The top stripe is white, the middle stripe is blue, and the bottom stripe is red.

The design of the Russian flag is based on the flag of the Netherlands. The Russian flag, in turn, was based on many flags of Slavic states in Europe, and the colors used in these flags (white, blue, red) are often called pan-Slavic colors - they gradually came to signify the independence and unity of the Slavs. There is no official meaning of the symbolism of the Russian flag, but according to the most common opinion, the flag is given the following interpretation: White color symbolizes generosity and sincerity; blue denotes loyalty, honesty, and wisdom; red signifies courage, generosity, and love. It is also widely believed that red stands for Russians, blue for Ukrainians, and white for Belarusians.

A Brief History of the Russian Flag

The current Russian flag was adopted on August 21, 1991, shortly before Russia became independent state, and a member of the United Nations (December 26, 1991). Most historians believe that the Russian flag in modern form appeared during the time of Peter I, or more precisely, his visit to the Netherlands in 1699. He went there in order to gain knowledge about shipbuilding from local craftsmen. During the trip, he came to the conclusion that Russia also needed a naval banner. He came up with a Russian flag, similar to the flag of the Netherlands, but with Russian flowers. The flag he invented was used as the Russian naval flag for merchant ships, and later (in 1883) it was adopted as the civil flag of Russia. After the Russian Revolution of 1917, when Russia became part of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the current flag was replaced by another. After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the current Russian flag began to be used again.

The state flag in Russia appeared at the turn of the 17th-18th centuries, during the era of the formation of Russia as a powerful state. The first traditional flag was introduced by the father of Peter I, Moscow Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, this was the white-blue-red flag known to everyone today, which was intended for the Russian fleet on the Caspian Sea. It simultaneously served as an identification mark, because Arab and Turkish ships also sailed in the Caspian Sea. That's why three stripes were chosen: such a flag was visible from long distances, in fact, it was a signal flag. This flag did not have its own symbols.

For the first time, the white-blue-red flag was raised on the first Russian warship "Eagle", during the reign of Peter I's father Alexei Mikhailovich. The "Eagle" did not sail for long under the new banner: having descended along the Volga to Astrakhan, it was burned there by the rebel peasants of Stepan Razin.

Peter I is rightfully considered the father of the Russian tricolor. He approved the flag as a sign of respect for the memory of his father.

Only for practical purposes - to distinguish his ships from others in battle - Peter for the first time added a state connotation. The banner on the ship’s mast was a signal to comply with the European rules of civilized war, where the flag was a sign of the ship’s belonging to the state as a “floating land.”

Wanting to make Russia a civilized part of Europe, Peter I approved several flags for the Russian fleet and ground forces. And there were a great many flags; almost every regiment of the Life Guards had its own banners.

The place of the main flag, however, remained empty. And the king was concerned about this problem.

In 1699, out of hundreds of banners, Peter I assigned the role of the state flag to the white-blue-red flag, which by that time was usually flown by peaceful merchant ships. Thus, first of all, the representative status of such a flag was emphasized, a sign of friendly disposition, a gesture of good neighborliness and peace was highlighted.

On January 20, 1705, he issued a decree according to which “all kinds of trading ships” should fly a white-blue-red flag, he himself drew a sample and determined the order of horizontal stripes. In different variations, the three-stripe flag also decorated warships until 1712, when the St. Andrew's flag was established in the navy.

By this time, the symbolism of flowers had finally taken shape. Russian state tricolor flag, this is a rectangular panel, where three parallel colored stripes personify knowledge:
White is nobility, duty, the color of purity.
Blue is fidelity and chastity, the color of love.
Red is courage and generosity, the color of strength.

This symbolism can be deepened by looking into the works of experts and kabbalists, where: white means fast-flowing time, blue means truth, and red is the color of the resurrection of the dead. And all together this means the following: a sign of power over everything earthly in the name of the victory of heavenly truth. The Russian state flag is a sign of a messianic state that considers the spread of ideas of goodness and truth to be a national calling.

In 1858, Alexander II approved a drawing “with the arrangement of the emblem black-yellow-white colors of the Empire on banners, flags and other items for decoration on the streets on special occasions.” And on January 1, 1865, a personal decree of Alexander II was issued, in which the colors black, orange (gold) and white were directly called “the state colors of Russia.”

The black-yellow-white flag lasted until 1883. On April 28, 1883, a decree from Alexander III was announced, which stated: “So that on those solemn occasions when it is considered possible to allow the decoration of buildings with flags, only the Russian flag should be used, consisting of three stripes: the top - white, the middle - blue and the bottom - red flowers."

In 1896, Nicholas II established a Special Meeting at the Ministry of Justice to discuss the issue of the Russian national flag. The meeting came to the conclusion that “the white-blue-red flag has every right to be called Russian or national and its colors: white, blue and red are called state.”

At this time, the three colors of the flag, which became national, received an official interpretation. The red color meant “sovereignty”, blue - the color of the Mother of God, under whose protection Russia is, white - the color of freedom and independence. These colors also meant the commonwealth of White, Little and Great Russia. After the February Revolution, the Provisional Government used the white-blue-red flag as its state flag.

The revolution of 1917 abolished the previous banner and coat of arms, but left the idea of a messianic state intact.

Soviet Russia did not immediately reject the tricolor symbol of Russia. April 8, 1918 Ya.M. Sverdlov, speaking at a meeting of the Bolshevik faction of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee, proposed to approve the red battle flag as the national Russian flag, and for more than 70 years the red banner was the state flag. On August 22, 1991, the Extraordinary Session of the Supreme Council of the RSFSR decided to consider the tricolor the official symbol of Russia, and by decree of the President of the Russian Federation Boris Yeltsin of December 11, 1993, the Regulations on the State Flag of the Russian Federation were approved, and August 22 was declared the Day of the State Flag of Russia. On this day, the tricolor Russian flag was officially raised over the White House for the first time, replacing the red banner with the hammer and sickle as the state symbol.

The Russian flag is one of those flags that proclaim the primacy of faith over the state. Among them, for example, are the flags of Muslim states, where green color or a crescent signify faith in Allah and Mohammed, his prophet. The Stars and Stripes of the USA first of all speaks of the unity of all American states, of the triumph of the union of lands for the sake of a common ideal of freedom.

The raising of the Russian flag is usually accompanied by the performance of the Russian national anthem, which usually takes place as part of major state events with the participation of top officials of the state; this ceremony marks the greatness of the state and its history. For deliberate damage to the flag, and especially its destruction, there is a special article in the Criminal Code of Russia, which considers such an act of vandalism as a criminal offense.

The state symbols of Russia reflect the power and greatness of our country, its glorious history, and the exploits of the Russian people.

Russian Flag Day- a holiday that helps unite society on eternal values - patriotism, statehood. This holiday gives us a feeling of pride for our great country, for our compatriots.

Celebrating National Flag Day, we feel part great power, we are proud that we are children of Great Russia.