Heraldry of Orvieto
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The Crown which stands over the coat of arms is the Royal Crown of the
Middle Ages. The red and blue banner on which it rests was granted to the
city by the emperors Ottoni of Saxony. At the start of the
period of the Italian comunes or city-states, Otto II recognized the
autonomy of the city which was represented by the one hundred families
which composed its first sovereign people.
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The Cross: A red cross on a white field was added
on the banner by the Crusaders who returned home. It represents
the colors and the emblem of the free Guelph Comune which was based on a
popular form of government.
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The Eagle: The black eagle bearing the crown was given to Orvieto by
Rome to mark the alliance against Viterbo, while the gold rake on the eagle's
breast was granted by Charles of Anjou in memory of his appointment as
King of Puglia and Sicily by Pope Urbano IV and of his coronation at the
hands of Pope Clemente IV, which took place in Orvieto in 1277.
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The Lion:
Very similar to the Florentine marzocco (heraldic lion emblem)
with the sword in its right paw, the lion symbolizes
the enduring alliance between Orvieto and Florence. The keys
which the lion holds on the left
were given with the motto fortis et fidelis (strong and
faithful) by Pope Adriano IV in return for the safe stay which the city
provided to the Holy Seat.
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The Goose: Because of the Etruscan origins of the city and its later
status as a Roman colony, sacred to the goddess Juno,
a symbolic goose on a rock, in the act of
dropping a stone, represented at first the entire coat of arms of
Orvieto.
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page by
Alberto Nannarelli
( alberto@ece.uci.edu )
