Länderwappen#
Coats of Arms, Provincial. Every Austrian province has its own coat of arms based on historical events, as well as national colours which stem from these coats of arms.
Burgenland: established in 1922; a red eagle with open wings, a
golden crown and arms on a rock, inside a golden shield. A shield,
edged in gold, on the eagle´s breast with red colour and fur.
One black cross in each upper corner of the golden shield. National
colours: red and gold. The coat of arms of Burgenland was taken from
the two most powerful dynasties of the Middle Ages, the Counts of
Mattersdorf-Forchtenstein and the Counts of Guessing-Bernstein.
Carinthia: provincial constitutional law of 1930; a shield with
one golden and one red-coloured half; three black lions, one on top of
the other, with red tongues and red arms in the golden half; a silver
beam in the middle of the red-coloured half. National colours: gold,
red and white. Ulrich III and Philipp of the dynasty of Sponheim
first used this coat of arms; adopted by Otakar II of Bohemia in
1269 and by the Habsburgs in 1335.
Lower Austria: provincial constitutional law of 1920; 5 golden
eagles on a blue shield, 2 of them turned to the right, 3 to the left;
a golden crown with 3 merlons on top of the shield (formerly the
archduke´s crown). National colours: blue and gold. First
documentary mention of the coat of arms with 5 eagles in 1335.
Rudolf IV adopted it as coat of arms for Imperial Austria. The
eagles were taken for larks in the 16th century.
Upper Austria:>/I> provincial constitutional law of 1930; a shield
with one black half, a golden eagle with a red tongue and red claws in
the black half. The other half has two red and two silver stripes. The
archduke´s crown is on top of the shield. National colours:
white and red. This coat of arms was created by Rudolf IV
according to the model of the Lords of Machland. First documentary
mention of the coloured shield around 1390.
Salzburg:>/I> provincial law of 1921; a shield with one golden and
one red-coloured half; a black lion with a red tongue in the left
half, a silver beam in the right half. A Prince´s crown on top
of the shield. National colours: red and white. This coat of arms was
first documented on a Friesach coin of Archbishop Rudolf (1284-1290)
and was commonly used in the 14th century. It can probably be
traced back to the Carinthian Archbishop Philipp (1247-1256).
Styria: provincial constitutional law of 1926; a green shield with
a silver-coloured panther with red horns and claws, spewing flames.
The historical duke´s crown is on top of the shield; national
colours: white and green. First documentary mention of this coat of
arms on the seal of Margrave Otakar II in the 12th
century, was used by the Babenbergs as well. First documentary mention
of the coloured coat of arms in 1246.
Tyrol: established in 1946; a silver shield with a red eagle
wearing a golden crown and claws, the ends of the wings are
shamrock-shaped, a green garland behind the head. National colours:
white and red. First documentary mention of the eagle on seals in
1205, first documentary mention of the coloured version in 1340.
Vorarlberg: established in 1923; a silver shield with a red church
flag with black fringes, hanging on 3 red rings, 2 thin black lines
cross the upper part of the flag and 3 thin black lines cross each of
the 3 lower parts of the flag. National colours: red and white. The
coat of arms can be traced back to the Lords of Montfort, first
documentary mention in 1181.
Vienna: the coat of arms was established in 1925 and renewed in
1946; it depicted a red shield with a silver cross. The colours were
white and red. Since 1998 (LGBl. 1998/10) it shows a red shield with a
white cross and also appears in the form of a black eagle with golden
decorations wearing the red shield with a white cross on his breast.
The colours are red and white.
Literature#
F. Gall, Oe. Wappenkunde, 1977; P. Diem, Die Symbole Oesterreichs, 1995.