City of Wiesbaden (Hesse, Germany)

Stadt Wiesbaden

Last modified: 2003-01-18 by santiago dotor
Keywords: hesse | hessen | stadt wiesbaden | wiesbaden | banner of arms | fleur-de-lis (yellow) | fleurs-de-lis: 3 (yellow) |
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5:2 by Stefan Schwoon Coat-of-arms adopted 1906

• Description

See also:

• County and Municipal Flags (Hesse / Hessen, Germany)
• Hesse (Hessen, Germany)
• Germany

Blue with the charges of the arms — i.e. a banner of the arms. Sources: flag from Staack 1997, arms from Stadler 1964-1971

Stefan Schwoon, 19 February 2001

From Ralf Hartemink's International Civic Arms website:

The arms of Wiesbaden are identical to the former French Royal arms, and it has been stated that the arms were granted by Charlemagne, or that the arms were used as a symbol for Charlemagne, the alleged founder of the city. However, this is not likely, as in the time of Charlemagne there were no heraldic arms, and he never used fleurs-de-lis as his symbol.

Wiesbaden was an imperial city until 1250, when it became a possession of the Counts of Nassau. The oldest known seals date from the early 14th century and show the lion of Nassau. Around 1350 three roses were added, probably to distinguish the arms from similar arms in the County of Nassau. In the early 16th century the roses were replaced by the three fleurs-de-lis. Later that century the lion was removed, at first in images and on buildings, later also in the seals of the city. In 1898 the city officially adopted the arms with the lion, based on the old seals, but these arms were already replaced in 1906 by the present, and more historically correct, arms.

Literature: Stadler 1964-1971.

Santiago Dotor, 13 December 2001