KIRUNA
Additions : 1971 Karesuando
Origin/meaning :
The arms were granted in 1949 and again registered in 1974.
The arms show in the upper half the symbol of iron. The city is well known for its iron mines. The lower half shows a ptarmigan (fjällripa in Swedish), a canting element, as it is named 'girun' in the local Sami language.
In 1971 the ptarmigan received red claws and bill, which caused some problems within the city council, as some saw the red colour as a political symbol...
Literature : Nevéus and de Waern, 1992