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Belgische Gemeentewapens - Armories communales de Belgique Belgian Civic Heraldry

LIER

Province : Antwerpen
Additions : 1976 Koningshooikt

Origin/meaning :
The arms were granted on December 13, 1988.

The arms of Lier show three chevrons of unknown origin. The chevrons appear for the first time on the second seal of the city, known since 1355. The seal shows two lions and a banner with the three chevrons. The chevrons appear in a shield only in the next seal from 1422. All later seals show the same arms, with two lion supporters. In all cases the lions are facing the shield, not backwards.

The colours of the arms are known since the 16th century and have not changed since.

During the Napoleonic times the city was granted the arms of a city of the second rank, this meant that the city arms were augmented with a free quarter with an N and a star. These arms were officially granted on December 16, 1810.

After the independence of the Netherlands, Lier was granted arms on October 20, 1819. These arms showed again the three chevrons, but now with the lions facing backwards. After the Belgian independance the arms were confirmed on June 30, 1838.

In 1988 the present arms were granted, in which only the crown was changed to a mural crown, inidicating that Lier already received city rights in the 13th century.

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

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