Coat of arms of Groningen (province)

Coat of arms of Groningen
Two golden lions hold a crowned shield with a multicolored decoration
ArmigerProvince of Groningen
Adopted1595 (unofficially)
1947 (officially)
CrestGolden coronet
ShieldEscutcheon of the city Groningen in the first and fourth quarter and escutcheon of the Ommelanden in the second and third quarter
SupportersTwo rampant golden lions

The coat of arms of Groningen (Dutch: wapen van Groningen) is an official symbol of the province. It was designed when the region was united in 1595 and formally approved in 1947 by Queen Wilhelmina. The coat of arms consists of two lions supporting a crowned shield which is decorated with the shields of the city of Groningen and of the Ommelanden.

History

Map of the domain of Groningen in the Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, sive, Atlas Novus (1645) with the shield of the province of Groningen above the map title
12½ stuivers with the crowned shield of Groningen coined in 1672

In 1595, the city of Groningen and the Ommelanden or surrounding regions come to an agreement to form a united domain (Dutch: gewest). The city already had direct control over the regions Gorecht, Oldambt, Reiderland, and Westerwolde. The Ommelanden were Hunsingo, Fivelingo, and Westerkwartier. A new coat of arms was designed for the domain.[1] More than 350 years later, on 30 December 1947, the coat of arms was formally approved by royal decree of Queen Wilhelmina.[1][2]

Heraldic elements

In the coat of arms of the province of Groningen, the escutcheon or heraldic shield is a combination of the escutcheon of the city of Groningen in the first and fourth quarter and the escutcheon of the Ommelanden in the second and third quarter.[1][3]

The escutcheon of the city of Groningen has a golden field with a black double-headed eagle with on its chest another escutcheon with a silver field and a green fess.[1]

The escutcheon of the Ommelanden has a silver field with three diagonal blue bendlets, representing the three regions, and eleven red heart-shaped charges ("pompeblêd"), representing the eleven subregions.[1]

The other elements are a golden coronet or heraldic crown with five leaves and four pearls, and two rampant golden lions supporting the main escutcheon. The lions represent the Netherlands.[1]

Restricted use

The province of Groningen states that the coat of arms may only be used non-commercially.[4]

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Coat of arms of Groningen (province).
  1. ^ a b c d e f (in Dutch) Provinciewapen Archived 4 January 2014 at the Wayback Machine, Province of Groningen. Retrieved on 30 January 2014.
  2. ^ (in Dutch) Index op de wapens der publiekrechtelijke lichamen Archived 7 March 2014 at the Wayback Machine, Hoge Raad van Adel (High Council of Nobility), 2013. Retrieved on 10 February 2014.
  3. ^ (in Dutch) Naam & embleem[permanent dead link], Ministry of Defence. Retrieved on 10 February 2014.
  4. ^ (in Dutch) Vraag en antwoord Archived 8 January 2014 at the Wayback Machine, Province of Groningen. Retrieved on 30 January 2014.
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