Shield of La Rioja (Spain)

The La Rioja coat of arms is one of the symbols of the autonomous community of La Rioja (Spain). It is considered, along with the flag and the anthem, a "sign of Riojan identity". It was adopted by the community in 1985, although it had already been used officially by the province since 1957.

History and significance

Cross of Santiago in the castle of Clavijo

The first coat of arms for the Provincial Council of Logroño was approved on April 5, 1957 by decree of the Ministry of the Interior, to be used by the then province of Logroño, and published on April 16 of the same year. Prior to the adoption of this design, the provincial corporation used the private shield of the city of Logroño since the province lacked its own shield, as was the case with other provincial councils (this is shown in numerous documents and representations inside and outside of The Rioja). During that decade other provincial shields were being adopted that followed a similar pattern, that of combining those of the capitals of judicial districts of the province with that of the provincial capital in the center. Many heraldists agree that this scheme greatly complicates the design, among which was the official chronicler of La Rioja, José María Lope Toledo. He was in charge of writing a study and proposing a provincial coat of arms for the Provincial Council. The memory of the chronicler followed the legal precepts, being approved by the Academy of History and its adoption authorized by the Ministry of the Interior.

Lope Toledo's proposal was for a slightly intricate shield: cut into two fields next to a border and crowned by a closed royal crown. In its left part, the cross of Santiago de gules on Mount Laturce accompanied by two pilgrim shells. He justifies these elements in allusion to the battle of Clavijo, an outstanding element of traditional (as well as Catholic and military) historiography, since Santiago is a prominent figure in the Spanish Catholic and military tradition; while the scallop shells allude to the Camino de Santiago, a route that runs from east to west throughout La Rioja. The colors are heraldically correct, and the shells are silhouetted gules to avoid silver on the gold field and thus comply with the enamel rule. Its duplication may be due to the heraldic rules of symmetry and fullness in the field.

Version of the first shield approved in 1957; watch the silver river at the sinister barracks

On the right side, the castle and the bridge have an integrating function, since all the judicial districts of the community (with the exception of Calahorra, in which it appears crowning the shield) have one of the two elements on their shield. The presence of the castle is common in the shields of towns that were part of the Crown of Castile. Under this, the Ebro river runs, which fertilizes the lands of La Rioja. In its original composition, the river is simply silver, without alternating its waves with waves of azure as is traditional in Hispanic armory.

The fleurs de lis are distinctions granted to the capital of the community, Logroño, by Castilian monarchs in recognition of "noble deeds accomplished". They were confirmed by Carlos V. The element of the border is very common in the weapons awarded by this king and still appears today in numerous examples of Spanish-American cities.

The closed royal crown is due to recognition that the provincial councils were created by Queen Elizabeth II and therefore follow the design (Bourbon, closed) of their time.

Subsequently, this same shield with minimal adjustments was adopted by the autonomous community of La Rioja in 1985.

Heraldic description

An unofficial definition, but more in line with classical heraldry would be:

"Escudo partido; first, of gold, a cross of James accompanied in the low, of two revered silver, steaked of gules, and on the tip, a mountain of siple; and second, of gules, on waves of blue and silver water, a three-eyed gold bridge, mazonado de sable and added of a castle also of gold, almenado, mazonado de sable and clarified. Azur's general edge with three lilies of gold, two in the boss's cantons and one in tip. "

Regarding the shape of the shield, although it has no heraldic relevance, it is usually shown mainly as a square ending in a point (also called French), although there are also semicircular versions (or called Iberian).

No emblazoned description describes the shape or number of the arches of the bridge nor does it specify that it must be pointed, although for heraldic correction the arches should be completely visible (in almost all specimens three arches are shown, although not all are always visible). The enamel of the castle openings is also not officially specified; by heraldic tradition if they are not defined they are painted azure when it is gold (and gules when it is silver); if it is the color of the barracks field, it should be specified as "open castle".

Legislation

According to the third article of the Statute of Autonomy of La Rioja, Organic Law 3/1982:

"The Autonomous Community of La Rioja has its own hymn and shield that can only be modified by Law of the Parliament of La Rioja approved by a two-thirds majority of its members"

According to the sixth and seventh articles of Law 4/1985, of May 31 (BOLR no. 64, of June 4):

"The La Rioja shield is, structurally, a matched shield, cluttered with the real crown closed. In the left partition, of gold the field, the Red Cross of Santiago lifted on Mount Laturce and flanked by two shells of pilgrim, enameled in silver and silhouetted in gules. On the right partition, on the field of gules, a golden castle of three almond towers riding on a fenced bridge of sable, under which a river runs in silver. There are three lilies on the embroidery."

"The shield of La Rioja may appear in the center of the flag."

The shield must include:

• At the headquarters of the Government and the Parliament of La Rioja.
• In the titles, decorations and distinctions of the Autonomous Community of Rioja.
• In the distinctions used by Community authorities and regional representatives.

There is also a simplified version of the shield, of a more symbolic nature and suitable for reproductions of schematic and color lines, as established in the Corporate Identity Manual, -Decree 20/2003, of May 30, which regulates the Institutional Graphic Identity of the Autonomous Community of La Rioja and its President (BOR no. 70 of June 5, 2003).

Other versions

Squid of La Rioja simplified and logotyped used by the autonomic administration