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Zoutleeuw (Municipality, Province of Flemish Brabant, Belgium)

Léau

by Filip van Laenen

Description of the flag

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Description of the flag

Zoutleeuw (8,000 inhabitants) is located in the arrondissement of Leuven.

The flag is horiaontally divided red-black. Proportions are 2:3.

The flag was adopted on 5 October 1988.

Source: Flags of the Low Countries

The colours of the flag are derived are from the municipal coat of arms, described as follows:

"The arms were granted on July 31, 1841. The lion in the arms is the lion of Brabant, as the village historically belonged to Brabant; in 1213 the Dukes of Brabant granted several privileges to Zoutleeuw. The lion thus appeared on the oldest seal of the town, dating from 1248. In 1424 it was mentioned in a document that the arms showed a lion and a plain red chief. Whether the chief was added simply to distinguish the arms form those of Brabant, or that it was added as a symbol for the courage and the blood spilled by the inhabitants to defend Brabant is not known. The chief also appeared on the seal from 1640 and the arms thus have not changed since.

Jarig Bakker, 3 November 2001