Limburg an der Lahn

LIMBURG AN DER LAHN

State : Hessen
District (Kreis) : Limburg-Weilburg (until 1975 Limburg)
Additions : 1971 Dietkirchen; 1972 Ahlbach; 1974 Eschhofen, Lindenholzhausen, Linter, Offheim, Staffel

Official blazon

German	In Blau eine silberne Burg mit drei Zinnentürmen; der Mittelturm belegt mit einem blauen Schild, darin ein zweireihig von Rot und Silber geschachter Balken, begleitet oben von sieben, unten von sechs waagrechten goldenen Schindeln.
English	blazon wanted

Origin/meaning

The arms were granted in 1908. After the municipal changes in the 1970s, the arms were officially granted on April 11, 1975.

The arms are based on the oldest known seal of the city. The seal is known since 1243 and showed the three towers and a small shield with the arms of the Counts of Isenburg, who ruled the town at the time. In 1300 the Counts of Limburg acquired the city, and the above arms show the small shield with the arms of the Counts of Limburg.

Later seals and images showed many different arms, mainly derived from the (complicated) arms of the different rulers of the city. The general composition of towers and shield, however, remained in use during the centuries. In 1908 the arms of the counts Limburg were chosen above the arms of the other families.

In many armorials and other sources only the small shield of the Isenburgs, in different colours, were shown for the city.

The arms in a 16th century manuscript	The arms in the Wapen- en Vlaggenboek van Gerrit Hesman (1708)
The arms in a manuscript from +/- 1730	The arms in the Wappen-Sammlung (+/- 1910)
	Seals from around 1900-1920
The arms by Hupp in the Kaffee Hag albums +/- 1925	The arms in the Abadie albums

Literature: Stadler, 1964-1971, 8 volumes.

---