Lessines

LESSINES

Province : Hainaut
Additions : 1977 Bois-de-Lessines, Deux-Acren, Ghoy, Ogy, Ollignies, Papignies (1964 Wannebecq)

Official blazon

(1818) Van goud waarop drie roode dwarsbalken, met een zwarte sleutel, het schild gedekt met een kroon en vastgehouden ter regterzijde door een klimmende griffioen en ter linker door een klimmende leeuw, alles van goud.
(1839) De gueule[s] à trois [quatre sur le dessin] triangles d'or et une clef d'argent brochant sur le tout; l'écu timbre d'une couronne à cinq fleuronsl d'or; supports: à dextre un griffon et à senestre, un lion d'or.
(1979) De gueules à quatre fasces d'or, à une clef d'argent brochant sur le tout. L'écu sommé d'une couronne à cinq fleurons et supporté à dextre par un griffon d'or et à senestre par un lion du méme.

Origin/meaning

The arms were granted on April 15, 1818 and confirmed on July 3, 1839 and April 2, 1979.

The arms are a combination of the arms of the Lords of Pamele and the key of St. Peter, the patron saint of the city.

The Lords of Pamele were mentioned as Lords of Lessines already in the 11^th century. They were succeeded in the 13^th century by the Counts of Hainaut. The oldest known seal of the city council dates from the 13^th century and shows only the local patron saint, St. Peter, holding a key. Later seals combine the saint with the arms of the Lords of Pamele, and since the 16^th century only the key remained.

In 1818 the arms were granted with 7 bars and a black key, this was corrected in 1838.

Image gallery

The arms in the Armorial Gorrevod (1460)
The arms in a 16th century manuscript
The arms in a 16th century manuscript
The arms in a 17th century manuscript
The arms from 1818
The arms in the Koffie Hag/Café Hag albums +/- 1930
The arms in the Koffie Hag/Café Hag albums +/- 1930 (variation)
The arms on a police badge (source)
The arms on a Roulertas Confiserie label

Literature: Servais, 1955

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