The coat of arms of Hungary (1990-)

The coat of arms of Hungary is one of the country’s most important state symbols, preserving deep layers of Hungarian history and tradition. Its present form was adopted by the National Assembly on 11 July 1990, when the crowned lesser coat of arms was chosen as the official emblem of the republic. The designer of the modern version was Tibor Piros, a graphic artist awarded the Munkácsy Prize.

The current coat of arms of Hungary

It is a pointed-base, per pale shield. In the dexter field appear seven horizontal bars alternating red and silver, known as the Árpád stripes. These are the ancient heraldic symbols of the rulers of the House of Árpád and among the oldest motifs of the Hungarian kingdom, evoking the nation’s early history and the age of state foundation.

In the sinister red field rises a green triple hill, topped by a silver double cross, with a golden crown at its base. Originally, the triple hill merely served as a support, since Hungarian heraldry avoided floating charges. Later it came to be interpreted as a symbolic representation of the Tatra, Mátra, and Fatra mountain ranges. The triple hill also symbolizes the threefold unity of the former royal center—faith, strength, and will. The crown was placed beneath the cross in the 15th century, although this is somewhat unusual in heraldry, since gold and silver are not normally meant to touch.

Resting upon the shield is the Holy Crown of Hungary, expressing the continuity of Hungarian statehood and national sovereignty. The double cross (crux gemina) symbolizes the Christian monarchy and the apostolic authority of Saint Stephen, although its historical origin and first use remain subjects of scholarly debate.

The period before the present coat of arms of Hungary

The unification of the two shield fields began in the late 14th century and was finalized during the reign of Emperor Rudolf of Habsburg. From the 15th century onward, the royal coat of arms was also used as the coat of arms of the country.

After the political transition of 1989–1990, the re-adoption of the crowned lesser coat of arms became a symbol of historical continuity and the strengthening of national identity.

Sources: Wikipédia, Arcanum, ChatGPT