Exhibition „Symbols on the Border“
Event overview
Both the state and the city have officially approved symbols – a flag and a coat of arms – which serve two important functions: they act as representative emblems and reflect local identity. This is a visual heritage that tells the story of a city across centuries.
Narva is one of the few cities in Estonia that has had more than one coat of arms throughout its history. As a border town, it was under the rule of various states, and each new authority created its own symbols. This exhibition explores the formation, meaning, and use of Narva’s civic symbolism.
The exhibition includes not only textual and visual materials, but also museum objects from the collections of the Narva Museum and other Estonian museums and archives – artefacts that tell the story of symbols in their own silent but meaningful way. On display are historical coats of arms, seals and stamps, coins minted in Narva during the Swedish era, and various objects used by the city magistrate and administration – all bearing the city’s emblems, both official and unofficial.
The exhibition is open since 19th of July 2025 in Narva Castle, 3rd Floor of the Tower.
- Curator: Zurab Jänes
- Design and Graphic Design: Janne Jaagant
- Project manager: Anne Raud
- Translation: Jelena Šuvalova, Yuliia Khlystun
- Proofreader: Kristiina Sarjas
The Team
Andrey Saveliev, Galina Smirnova, Irina Koševina, Irina Solodova, Jana Ivanova, Kristiina Rossman, Konstantin Zakhodyaev, Margitta Kupper, Natalia Merilaid, Svetlana Andreeva, Sofia Vissarionova,
Partners
Kultuurkapital SA, Eesti Ajaloomuuseum SA (AM), Narva Linnavalitsus
Special thanks to
Ilja Smirnov, Julia Kala, Juri Raud, Katri Raik, Lembit Raud, Natalja Vovdenko, Vovan Kaštan
