Mechelen

MECHELEN Country : Belgium Province : Antwerpen Additions: 1977 Heffen 1977 Hombeek 1977 Leest 1977 Muizen 1977 Walem Loading map... {"minzoom":false,"maxzoom":false,"mappingservice":"leaflet","width":"250px","height":"250px","centre":false,"title":"","label":"","icon":"","lines":[],"polygons":[],"circles":[],"rectangles":[],"copycoords":false,"static":false,"zoom":7,"defzoom":14,"layers":["OpenStreetMap"],"image layers":[],"overlays":[],"resizable":false,"fullscreen":false,"scrollwheelzoom":true,"cluster":false,"clustermaxzoom":20,"clusterzoomonclick":true,"clustermaxradius":80,"clusterspiderfy":true,"geojson":"","clicktarget":"","imageLayers":[],"locations":[{"text":"","title":"","link":"","lat":51.027500000000003410605131648480892181396484375,"lon":4.4816000000000002501110429875552654266357421875,"icon":""}],"imageoverlays":null}

Official blazon

Dutch	(1819) Van goud beladen met 3 roode palen, op de middelste een schildje mede van goud beladen met een zwarte arend gekeerd ter linker zijde, het schild gedekt met een kroon van goud. (1841) Eenen gulden schild met dry roode staeken, waerop, goud met eenen zwarten arens met uytgestrekte vleugels, wines tong, bek, beenen en kroon van roode kleur, den schild gedekt met eenen helm, op zyde staende, waerop eene graflyke kroon; helmsieraed, eenen gulden draeck daeruyt opspringend met roode tong en oogen, rustende op twee gulden griffioenen met roode tanden en tong; gulden en roode helmdekken, alles rustende op een gulden lint met de spreuk in zwarte letters 'In fide constans'. (1986) In goud drie palen van keel; hartschild: in goud een adelaar van sabel. Het schild getopt met een kroon van goud met dertien parels, waarvan drie verheven, en gehouden door twee griffioenen van goud, geklauwd en getongd van keel, het geheel rustend op een lint van goud met de spreuk IN TROUWEN VAST in letters van sabel.
French	(1810) D'or à trois pals de gueules, franc quartier des villes de seconde classe qui est d'azur à dextre chargé d'un N d'or, surmonté d'une étoile rayonnant du même, brochant au neuvième de l'écu.
English	blazon wanted

Origin/meaning

The arms were granted on October 7, 1986 and replaced older arms granted on December 18, 1841, October 6, 1819 and December 16, 1810.

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  The arms from 1810

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  The arms from 1819

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  The arms from 1841

The arms are the arms of the Estate and County of Mechelen. The arms with the red pales are those of the Berthout family, Lords of Mechelen in the 12th and 13^th century. In 1490 Emperor Frederic III granted the city the use of an escutcheon with the imperial eagle.

The arms from 1490 (source)

On the seal of the city, dating from the same year, the new arms are shown, with two griffins as supporters. These are the supporters of the Habsburg family, who were Emperors of the Holy Roman Empire. The motto was also added in the late 15^th century.

The dragon crest is probably derived from the arms of the Kingdom of Aragon, which also showed red pales in gold (see for the crest the province of Valencia, in Spain), but which had nothing to do with the city. In the new arms the helmet and crest were replaced by a crown of a Count, for the historical County of Mechelen.

In the 16th and 17^th century the eagle in the escutcheon was often shown with two heads, but these were never officially used.

Napoleon granted arms to Mechelen in 1810, showing the shield with the pales, but instead of the eagle, a free canton with a crowned N, the symbol of cities of the Second Class.

In 1819 the arms were granted without the supporter, which was added in 1841. In 1986 the crest was replaced by a crown.

The arms of 1841 showed the a crest with a golden dragon. The arms also used the motto 'In fide constans' The present arms show two griffins as supporters and the translation of the motto in Dutch, 'In trouwen vast'.

Image gallery

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  The arms in the Armorial Gorrevod (1460)

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  The arms in the Armorial Jörg Rügen (1495)

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  The arms of the Lordship in the Armorial Jörg Rügen (1495)

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  The arms in a manuscript from 1558

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  The arms in 1562

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  The arms in a manuscript from 1576

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  The arms in the 16th century

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  The arms in a 16th century manuscript

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  The arms in a 17th century manuscript

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  The arms in a 16th century manuscript

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  The arms in the Wapen- en Vlaggenboek van Gerrit Hesman (1708)

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  The arms in: Hendrik van Huldenberghe, "Geboorte-linie ofte geslachts afcompste der Heeren Vooghden van Mechelen", 1638
  (source)

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  The diploma from 1810 (source)

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  The arms in Traversier (1842)

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  The arms on a medal (1869, image from auction site)

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  The arms on a 1922 poster issued by the city

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  The arms in the Koffie Hag/Café Hag albums +/- 1930

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  The arms on a municipal cover (1960s)

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  The arms in the Broodhuis, Brussels

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  Police badges of Mechelen (source)

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  The arms on a Dutch Willem II cigar band

Literature: Anonymous : Van evers en heiligen - wapens en vlaggen van de gemeenten in de provincie Antwerpen. Antwerpen, 1998. Main image © Philippe Pille; Viane-Awouters and Warlop, 2002.

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