For the lovers of detail (myself incuded) this is the coat of arms of the Province of Livorno on the facade of the local
Chamber of Commerce. The province is an administrative division between the “comune” (Livorno in this case) and the region (Tuscany). The bottom half of the crest, the castle, is the same of the
Comune (municipality). The three golden bees on the top half were the flag designed by Napoleon himself for the Elba island, during his exile there. Elba is within the province of Livorno.
This is another version of the same crest on the restored facade of the old “Liceo Scientifico”. I attended this school in the 70's of the last century.
For the lovers of detail (myself incuded) this is the coat of arms of the Province of Livorno on the facade of the local Chamber of Commerce. The province is an administrative division between the “comune” (Livorno in this case) and the region (Tuscany). The bottom half of the crest, the castle, is the same of the Comune (municipality). The three golden bees on the top half were the flag designed by Napoleon himself for the Elba island, during his exile there. Elba is within the province of Livorno.
This is another version of the same crest on the restored facade of the old “Liceo Scientifico”. I attended this school in the 70's of the last century.
12 comments:
Very nice crest - simple yet stately.
LOL - 70's wasn't so long ago to some of us - but LAST CENTURY sounds so long ago!
Jackie has been posting Glasgow's coat of arms every so often. You have a joint theme going.
http://glasgowdailyphoto.wordpress.com/2009/06/21/that-coat-of-arms-gets-everywhere-part-379/
Fascinating. Do you know what the three bees stand for?
I must say that I like the rendering of the one on your school better. Someone has a tighter sense of balance and scale :)
@ Tash - Glasgow had a good idea that I'll surely follow, thank you.
@ Hilda - The bees refer to the Elbans being industrious and the number three point to the main ports of Elba: Portoferraio, Rio Marina and Marciana Marina.
Last century seems like only yesterday. We must be getting older.
I love that delicate shadow cast by the crest in the first image and that creamy background against which it is set.
Wonderful details, especially the second one!
I find this fascinating, also. And I had no idea that Elba had any connection with Livorno.
It's really quite a nice crest...elegant in its simplicity. I'd like to know, with Hilda, what the bees stand for, too...
Beeware of Livorno? Nah...
I also like the details. Very interesting story.
Bees have always been a popular symbol for the French monarchy. I think Napolean stole some of their ideas when he crowned himself the Emperor!
Here is a meaning I found on a coat of arms website:
"Symbol of immortality and resurrection, the bee was chosen so as to link the new dynasty to the very origins of France. Golden bees (in fact, cicadas) were discovered in 1653 in Tournai in the tomb of Childeric I, founder in 457 of the Merovingian dynasty and father of Clovis. They were considered as the oldest emblem of the sovereigns of France."
Good grief, I attended school in England in the 70s. Aren't we getting wiser! ;-)
Very, very interesting post, heraldry has always fascinated me as does history. Where would we be without our past to shape us?
Very different from the Haninge coat of arms. And stately for sure.
Wonderful detail. I really enjoy seeing this sort of thing.
Beautiful! Very interesting about Napoleon:) Thanks:)
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