Unkel

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UNKEL

State : Rheinland-Pfalz
District (Kreis) : Neuwied
Verbandsgemeinde : Verbandsgemeinde Unkel

Official blazon

Geteilt von Silber und Rot; oben ein durchgehendes schwarzes geschliffenes Balkenkreuz; unten zwei schräggekreuzte goldene Schlüssel mit abgewendeten Bärten und mit Vierpassreiten, begleitet von vier silbernen Sechsecken.

Origin/meaning

Unkel belonged historically to the State of Köln. The oldest seal dates from the 13^th century and shows a combination of the Madonna and the cross of Köln. The town at the time was ruled by the St. Maria ad Gnadus convent in Köln, hence the Madonna. In the 14^th century the Madonna was replaced by the keys, symbol of St. Peter, patron saint of Köln, and the stones. The stones are likely basalt-stones, which used to be a main obstacle for the local sailing on the Rhine river. The stones are known as Unkelstones. In the seal from 1744 the cross was placed above the keys and the composition of the arms has not changed since.