Fredrikstad

FREDRIKSTAD

Province : Østfold
Additions : 1994 Borge, Kråkerøy, Onsøy, Rolvsøy

Official blazon

(1967) På rød bunn en oppreist gull bjørn foran en gull borg.

Origin/meaning

The arms were officially granted on April 21, 1967.

The old arms are based on the oldest known seal of the city, which dates from 1610. The fortress on the seal and old arms are rather strange, Fredrikstad had no fortifications in 1610 (it received some at the end of the 17^th century). Fredrikstad was founded by citizens of Sarpsborg and both the fortress and the bear are taken from the old arms of Sarpsborg.

The composition of the seal was also used as arms since the beginning of the 19^th century. The new arms were granted at the 400th anniversary of the city in 1967 and show a more modern variation on the fortress and bear.