Coat of arms of Timișoara

Description and Symbolism

The arms has a shield, divided horizontally in half (parted per fess). The top part is furthermore divided in half vertically (parted per pale) - on the heraldic right (viewers' left), on a crimson (gules) field, stands a golden lion on a doubly arched silver masonry bridge. The bridge symbolizes Trajan's Bridge constructed in 105. This element is very similar to the one used in the Coat of Arms of Romania to represent Banat. On the left side (viewer's right), on a sky-blue (azure) field stands a masonry water tower over a body of water, with two windows next to the roof, and a water wheel downstairs. The tower symbolizes to be an 18th-century construction, providing water to the city from the Bega canal. On the tower are two flags - a crimson flag with a white cross - the flag of Timișoara and the flag of the Romanian Revolution of 1989, that started in the city. The addition of this flag commemorates both the importance of the city in the revolution, and the death toll suffered by the city during the events, for which it has been proclaimed by law a martyr city. In the bottom part of the shield lies the image of the medieval city, including the walls and the castle, next to the Bega canal. Above the city are an anthropomorphic Sun and a crescent Moon, a common symbolism in Romania and especially in Transylvania and Banat. Inside the larger shield there is a smaller shield, divided party-per-cross, the first and the fourth quarter argent, the second and third sable.

Above the shield is a gold mural crown, symbolizing the status of the city as Municipality.

Changes

The shield has remained relatively unchanged in history - the only changes since the 19th century have been the replacement of a baroque cartouche with a shield, the replacement of a gold crown with diamonds with a mural crown, the removal of the supporters (two sable horses) and addition of the Romanian revolutionary flag after 1989.