In SAMBO World Championship Symbols The Oldest Legends of Lithuania Are Hidden

Two Lithuania symbols the Iron Wolf and the Gediminas' Tower will meet the participants of the SAMBO World Championship, which will be held on November 2011 in Vilnius. These symbols are represented on the medals and on the logo of the Championship. The Castle which stands on the mount of almost 50 m is well known as the symbol of Vilnius and sometimes is used as the symbol of the whole Lithuania. For the Lithuanians it symbolizes the power, the longevity and traditions. Dream foretold the success of the city In the begining of the XIV century, the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas, hunting taurus stopped to rest near the Neris and Vilnia rivers. Grand Duke felt asleep and dreamt an iron wolf howling on a hill with a voice of hundred wolves. In the morning his wise soothsayer explained the dream as a sign that in this place will grow a great city. "The city will be well known, strong and widely resounded in all over the World"- predicted the soothsayer. The Great Duke Gediminas ordered to pour a mound and to build a defensive castle on it. The legend says that men were carrying the sand in their caps to pour the mound ant that every men, women and even children helped to construct the castle. Now only the ruins of the defensive wall and the tower of Gediminas, the founder of Vilnius, remind us about the castle. In 1919 for the first time the Lithuanian flag was raised on the tower of Gediminas. This tower with the Lithuanian tricolor on top became the symbol of the nation's struggle for the statehood and independence. The viewpoint located at the top of the tower offers not only an excellent panorama of the Old Town; it is also possible to see the Siemens Arena, which will host this years' SAMBO World Championship. Arena - the fighting place of nowadays Siemens Arena was built in 12 months and opened on 30 of October 2004. It is one the largest and the most important arenas in the country, a lot of sport, business and music events are held here. Also the second round of the Eurobasket 2011 Championship took place in the Siemens Arena. The arena is composed of five levels, with a total area of 20,000 square meters. It offers about 10.000 seats for the spectators of the basketball games, about 8.000 - for those of the ice hockey. For the SAMBO World Championship about 5.000 seats in the spectator area are ready. The Gediminas tower and the Iron Wolf decorate the medals of the 35-th SAMBO World Championship. Lithuanian SAMBO federation has chosen these characters because they believe that the future of the SAMBO is as durable and solid as the Iron Wolf and legends of the Castle. Grand Duke's Gediminas dream came true - the news of a friendly and hospitable city of Vilnius has reached even the remotest corners of the World. We believe that our dream also will come true and SAMBO will become an Olympic sport.