^{This page is part of © FOTW Flags Of The World website}

Westland (Netherlands)

Zuid-Holland province

by Jarig Bakker, 4 May 2005
Inaugurated 29 Apr 2005

Westland municipality
Westland CoA
Westland regional flag

Other Westland pages:

See also:

Westland municipality

Population (1 Jan 2004): 96.639; area: 90,74 km². Settlements: Naaldwijk (seat), De Lier, Heenweg, Honselersdijk, Kwintsheul, Maasdijk, Monster, Poeldijk, 's-Gravenzande, Ter Heijde, Wateringen.
Westland is a new municipality in Zuid-Holland province; it was formed 1 Jan 2004 by the merger of the former municipalities De Lier, 's-Gravenzande, Monster, Naaldwijk and Wateringen.
Flag: (my description) two horizontal stripes of white and green; on white a red lion issuant armed blue; on green a five times dented white line.

The flag was revealed 29 Apr 2005 by the Mayor. Westland did have a coat of arms since July 2004.
The new flag combines elements of the arms. the five dents in the narrow white stripe represent the former municipalities. Green is for the warehouses and dunes. The Dutch red lion is taken from the arms.
The flag will only be used for official occasions.
Source: the municipal website, spotted by Jos Poels.
Jarig Bakker, 4 May 2005

Westland CoA

by Jarig Bakker, 31 Jul 2004
Granted July 2004

At this site is the new Coat of Arms.
Representatives of the former municipalities wrote an advisory letter to the High Council of Nobility, which designed the new arms.
Description: per fess I. argent an issuant lion gules tongued and nailed azure; II. in vert a five times dented fess argent; the shield surmounted by a golden crown of fourteen pearls, topped by three pearls.

Explanation: The top half of the shield represents the relationship in the Middle Ages between the Counts of Holland and the Lords of Naaldwijk. The Holland lion is identical to the one of Naaldwijk. The lion of 's-Gravenzande, which was the residence of the Count, originates in the Holland lion. The Lords of Naaldwijk were relatives of the Wateringen family. The colors of De Lier are represented by retaining red and silver as main colors.
The bottom part of the shield symbolizes the (green) fertile land behind the Westlandian dunes. The dented silver fess symbolizes the main occupation: horticulture (warehouses) as well as the five former municipalities and its glass-structures.
The shield is covered by the count's crown of Monster. The arms of Monster was the only one with a pearly crown. It cannot be granted anymore, but it is possible to retain one.
This CoA is intended for use on official dress and marriage acts; the mayorial chain will also contain the municipal arms.
Jarig Bakker, 31 Jul 2004

Westland regional flag

by Gerard van der Vaart, 4 May 2005

There is also a regional flag, used by commercial firms: seven three times indented stripes of green and white
Gerard van der Vaart, 4 May 2005