Coat of arms of North Rhine-Westphalia
| Coat of arms of North Rhine-Westphalia | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Versions | |
 Area the arms represent | |
| Adopted | 1953 |
| Shield | Split into three sections: left, a wavy white bend on a green field; right, a white horse on a red field; central-bottom, a red rose on a white field |
| Predecessor(s) | Rhine Province, Province of Westphalia, Principality of Lippe |
| Use | Within the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia |
The coat of arms of North Rhine-Westphalia is the arms and other insignia relating to the German state of that name.
The coat of arms of North Rhine-Westphalia is tierced in mantle. Its constituent parts are:
- The first field, showing a silver wavy bend sinister on a green field. This is a reflection of the coat of arms of the Rhine Province, which shows a wavy bend. This coat of arms represents the Rhineland, the southwestern part of the state.
- The second field with a charge of a rampant white horse, as opposed to the jumping white horse in the arms of Lower Saxony, upon a field of red. This coat of arms represents Westphalia, the northeastern part of the state. Originally it was the Saxon steed, the emblem of the Saxon stern duchy. It is identical to the preceding arms of the Province of Westphalia.
- The third field, showing the rose of Lippe, a red rose slipped and seeded gold, upon a field of white. This was the coat of arms of the Principality of Lippe, now the district of Lippe in the east of the state.
The upper line of the coat of arms sign is strongly curved to create an illusion of equal proportions, though the Saxon steed is said to be broader than the coat of arms of Lower Rhine.[citation needed]
§ 1 The state colors are green-white-red.
§ 2 The state's coat of arms shows within a split shield in front in green field a silver left anterior wavy fess, behind in a red field a jumping silver steed and below in an ascending silver peak a red rose with golden disk of seeds and golden sepals....[1]
— Provincial Government, Law about the state's colors, the state's coat of arms and the state' s flag of March 10, 1953
The coat of arms appears as a charge on the state flag of North Rhine-Westphalia.
References
- ^ Der Landtag des Landes Nordrhein Westfalen (March 21, 1953), "Gesetz über die Landesfarben, das Landeswappen und die Landesflagge" (PDF), Gesetz und Verordnungsblatt für das Land Nordrhein Westfalen, pp. 219–220
