Photos

I think that among all other symbols of power the Doppelte Adler, Two-Headed Eagle are most interesting, strange and appealing.
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Ancient state symbol of Byzantic Empire, Russian and Austrian Empires, it's still the official coat-of-arms of Russian and Austrian republics.
Great Prince of Moscow Ivan III received this symbol in the end of XV century together with the nephew of the last Byzantic Emperor, Sophia Paleolog, whom he married.
It marked the growing power of the Moscow Princedom, which overcome the Golden Horde, and at a time was the one and only independent Orthodox Christian country in the world - Byzantic Empire itself, Serbia, Bolgaria, Valachia, Moldavia, Georgia and other Orthodox countries at the time (1490-s) all lost their independency to Ottoman Empire, Muslim country.
That time was marked with a Islamic offensive all around Eastern and Central Europe: Kingdom of Hungary falled down, Vienna was besieged in 1511, Poland fought a hard and bloody wars with Turks and Crimean Horde; Tatars approached Moscow itself in 1521; Venice was at a constant fight with Ottoman Empire; Rhodos was taken in 1520-s, and later Cyprus fell.
Thus the time was very unstable and future of the coutries concerned seemed doubtful.
Despite that, feeling the growing power of it's state, Ivan III declared the right for the heritage of the fallen Byzantic Empire, and long process of national expansion of Russia started. During next 300 years Russia expanded 10 times and more, land-and people-wise, conquering Ural, Siberia, Far East, Swedish, Turkish and Polish lands.
Thus this eagle become a mark and symbol of the Russian Princedom, later Russian Empire.
In 1991 it was returned as a official coat-of-arms of the Russian Federation after the downfall of USSR.
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This particular Eagle perched on a high railing in front of Russian Museum.