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It consists of four blue and three white diagonal stripes; in the white stripes are a total of seven red pompeblêden, leaves of the yellow water-lily, that may resemble hearts, but according to the official instructions "should not be heart-shaped".
The Frisian flag is probably the best known and most recognizable Dutch provincial flag. It flies abundantly during (inter)national skating competitions and is also used by one of the largest and oldest dairy producers. Moreover, the design is the basis of the home jerseys of the football clubs SC Heerenveen and the Blauhúster Dakkapel [fy].
Symbolism
The seven red seeblatts (or pompeblêden, as they are called in West Frisian) are a reference to the Frisian "sea countries" in the Middle Ages:[1] independent regions along the coast from Alkmaar to the Weser who were allied against the Vikings. There were never precisely seven distinct regions, but the number seven probably has the connotation "many." Some sources hold, however, that there have been seven Frisian lands: West Friesland, Westergoa, Eastergoa, Hunsingo, Fivelingo, Emsingo, and Jeverland.
The pompeblêden are used in other related flags such as the flag of the Ommelanden in neighbouring Groningen Province, a historically Frisian area, and for a proposed pan-Frisia flag put forth by the Groep fan Auwerk.
Around 1200 Scandinaviancoats of arms reveal many traces of water-lilies and hearts, often found in combination with images of lions.
15th century books on heraldry show that two armorial bearings were derived from the early ones: a coat of arms showing lions and seven pompeblêdden (water lilies) transformed into billets, the other being the arms with the seven now known lilies on stripes.
Flags of Ommelanden
1474 - 1555
1555 - c.1582
Since c.1582
The current design was officially approved in 1897 and was first used by the provincial government in 1927. The flag was officially adopted by the provincial executive of Friesland on 9 July 1957.[1]
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