Aq Bars
{{Short description|Emblem of Tatarstan}}
{{More citations needed|date=September 2014}}
{{expand Russian|topic=geo|Герб Татарстана|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox coat of arms
| name = Coat of arms of the Republic of Tatarstan
| image = Coat of Arms of Tatarstan.svg
| image_width = 200
| armiger = Republic of Tatarstan
| year_adopted = 1991
| crest =
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| supporters =
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Aq Bars (or Ak Bars) ({{langx|tt-Cyrl|Ак Барс}}; {{Langx|ru|Ак Барс|label=Russian}}) is the emblem of Tatarstan. It is an ancient Bulgar symbol translated as "White Leopard" or "Snow Leopard", and has been in use since 1991 as the official symbol of Tatarstan.
Historically, this symbol was used in Volga Bulgaria and the Khanate of Kazan (Qazan) – predecessors of Tatarstan – as a state symbol. The snow leopard symbol comes from the totems of one of the Bulgar tribes – the Barsil. According to legend, the Barsils founded Bilär in Volga Bulgaria.
The creator of the current emblem is the artist Rif Fäxretdinov (Риф Фәхретдинов).
Historical coats of arms
The Russian coat of arms of Volga Bulgaria: a green shield with a silver walking lamb, holding a red gonfalone, divided by a silver[http://www.heraldicum.ru/russia/titul.htm Геральдикум: Титульные гербы] cross, with a golden staff.[http://www.statesymbol.ru/russymbols/history/20050413/39594136.html Госсимволика: Большой герб Российской империи (1882 г.)]{{Cite web |url=http://www.monarchruss.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=168&Itemid=28 |title=Всероссийский Монархический Центр – Большой Государственный Герб Российской Империи |access-date=2013-09-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120320180552/http://www.monarchruss.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=168&Itemid=28 |archive-date=2012-03-20 |url-status=dead }}
File:Russian coat of arms of Volga Bulgaria.gif|The Russian coat of Arms of Volga Bulgaria
File:Snow_Leopard_seal.png|A Russian seal, featuring the coat of arms of the Bulgarian king
File:Казанская эмблема, царский титулярник, 1672.jpg|Seal of the Kazan kingdom from the royal titular book of 1672.
File:Coat of arms of Kazan Governorate 1856.svg|Kazan Governorate 1856-1920
File:Emblem of the Tatar ASSR (1920-1926).jpg|The emblem of the Tatar Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic 1920-1926
File:ТАССР 1937.jpg|The emblem of the Tatar Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic 1937-1978
File:Coat of Arms of Tatarstan ASSR.png|The emblem of the Tatar Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic 1978-1990
File:Татарская ССР герб 1991.png|Proposed coat of arms for the Tatar Soviet Socialist Republic 1991
See also
- Ak Bars Kazan - this coat of arms is the hockey team's secondary logo, used extensively on their jerseys
- Zilant
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Symbols of Tatarstan}}
{{Coats of arms and Emblems of the republics of Russia}}
Category:Coats of arms with leopards
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