| Coat of arms of Cologne | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Armiger | Henriette Reker, Lord Mayor of Cologne |
| Use | The state logo may be used by the general public while the coat of arms proper is only eligible for use with authorities. |
Thecoat of arms ofCologne may refer to the city's coat of arms or to that of the Elector and Archbishop of Cologne. The arms of the city have existed for some 1000 years and have changed several times during thehistory of Cologne. The first known arms arePer fesse dancetté Gules and Argent. Similar arms were used during theNapoleonic era.
The arms of the city in the 16th century wereArgent, on a chief Gules three crowns Or. Between 1550 and 1580, the arms were altered toArgent elevengouttes of tar Sable (5/4/2), on a chief Gules three crowns Or. The three crowns symbolize theMagi (Three Wise Men) whose bones are said to be kept in a goldensarcophagus in Cologne Cathedral (seeShrine of the Three Kings at Cologne Cathedral). In 1164,Rainald of Dassel, the Archbishop of Cologne, brought therelics to the city, making it a majorpilgrimage destination. This led to the design of the current cathedral as the earlier church was considered too small to accommodate the pilgrims.
The eleven drops recall Cologne'spatron,Saint Ursula, a Britannic princess, and her legendary 11,000 virgin companions who were supposedly martyred byAttila the Hun at Cologne for theirChristian faith in 383. The entourage of Ursula and the number of victims was significantly smaller; according to one source, the original legend referred to only eleven companions and the number was later inflated.[1]
The arms of theArchbishop of Cologne areArgent a cross sable. During theElectorate, the archbishops were alsoPrinces, and quartered their arms with those of their other titles, such as Duke of Westphalia.[2] Other shields would be combined to represent the archbishop's family and other offices (such as Grandmaster of theTeutonic Knights). Today the archbishop impales the arms of the office with his own personal arms.
Media related toCoats of arms of Cologne at Wikimedia Commons
