page_title: Makhachkala
section_title: Symbols
hierarchical_section_title: Makhachkala / Administrative and municipal status / Symbols
caption_attribution_description: Кинотеатр Октябрь в Махачкале
context_page_description: Makhachkala is the capital city of the Republic of Dagestan, Russia. It is located on the western shore of the Caspian Sea and is home to the Makhachkala Grand Mosque, one of Russia's largest. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a population of 572,076, making it the largest in the North Caucasus Federal District. The city has an ethnic plurality, with the Avars and Kumyks being the largest groups.
  Founded as a fortress of the Russian Empire in 1844 and given city status thirteen years later, the city bore the name of the Russian Tsar Peter the Great until 1921. Since the fall of the Soviet Union, Makhachkala has been affected by Islamist insurgents as spillover from the Second Chechen War when militants invaded Dagestan leading to a renewed conflict between the Russian Federation and militants in the North Caucasus region.
  It was previously known as Petrovskoye, Petrovsk-Port.
context_section_description: The coat of arms and flag of Makhachkala were adopted on 15 December 2006. The coat of arms shows the city's historic fortress in silver on a red field, with flames coming from either tower and a solar symbol above. It is supported by a golden eagle on each side, a crown on top, and crossed anchors (representing its maritime history) entangled with grapevines at the bottom.
  In proportions of 2:3, the flag displays the main shield of the city's coat of arms.
caption: A street in Makhachkala
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