Last modified: 2008-06-21 by ivan sache
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![[Flag of Blankenberge]](../images/b/be-vwvbk.gif)
Municipal flag of Blankenberge - Image by Arnaud Leroy, 22 August 2005
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The municipality and town (Stad) of Blankenberge (17,000 inhabitants) is located on the shore of the North Sea, 20 km north-east of Ostende and 10 km north of Bruges. Blankenberge absorbed the former municipality of Uitkerke in 1970.
Blankenberge is a popular sea-resort, with a 3 km long sand beach, whose width reaches 350 m at low tide. The famous pier of Blankenberge, built in 1933, has also a length of 350 m. The former fishing port was transformed into a marina were up to 750 boats can moor.
In the past, Blankenberge was indeed a small fishermen's village.
Because of its rather strategic position, the little village was often
plundered and destroyed, when it was not destroyed by sea flooding
In the XIXth century, the small town became one of the first Belgian
sea resorts visited by tourists. Around 1850 the first (but not the
last) hotels were built. The oldest civil building of the city is the
ancient city hall, built in 1680 with material from a former Spanish
fortress. Another building of historical interest is the Paravang (from
French paravent, windscreen), an elegant windscreen with benches
located alongside the Léopold park. It was built in 1908. The roof is
very attractively built in neo-gothic style with glazed tiles and
decoration in the form of shells.
Other places of interest in Blankenberge are the Dairy Museum (Zuivelmuseum, the only permanent museum of that kind in the Low
Countries) and, last but not least, the Casino.
Every year on the first week-end of May, some 10,000 walkers meet in Blankenberge for the International Blankenberge Two-Days Walk of Flanders, sanctioned by the International Marching League. Marked routes of 6, 14, 24 and 42 km (marathon) are proposed to the walkers. In each little town the walkers are welcome at the cafés and taverns, and many stop to enjoy them.
Sources:
Ivan Sache, 22 August 2005
The municipal flag of Blankenberge is vertically divided
black-white-black (1:2:1) with the municipal shield of arms in the
middle.
According to Gemeentewapens in België - Vlaanderen en Brussel, the flag was adopted by the Municipal Council on 11 March 1987,
confirmed by the Executive of Flanders on 13 October 1987 and published in the
Belgian official gazette on 16 September 1988.
According to Servais, the municipal arms of Blankenberge were granted
on 9 January 1841. The three mountains are canting for the name of the
city (in Dutch, Blankenberge means "white" or "clear mountains"). These
arms are first mentioned in 1697. They might have been derived from the
arms of the Van Borssele family (Sable a fess silver), still used as
its arms by the Dutch municipality of Borsele (Zeeland).
The Gelre Armorial shows "Sable a fess argent" for Wulfart IV Van
Borsele, lord of Vere (Die He. v. d. Veir, #1022, folio 83v) and
Nicolas Van Borsel, lord of Brigdam (H. Clays v. Borsel, #1026, folio
83v); "Sable a fess argent in chief three mullets of the same" for
Franck Van Borsele (H. Vranc v. Borsel, #1024, folio 83v), "Sable a
fess argent a label gules" for Philippe Van Borsel, lord of Cortkeene
(H. Phes v. Borsel, #1027, folio 83v); and "Sable a fess argent a
saltire gules overall" for Baesdorp (Borsel) (H. Gens v. Baerstorp,
#1107, folio 86r).
Arnaud Leroy, Pascal Vagnat & Ivan Sache, 25 May 2007
The burgee of De Vrije Noordzeezeilers (VNZ, The Free North Sea Sailers), as shown on the club emblem and on a photography available on the Vilvoorde Yacht Club website, is orange, with a black lozenge positioned wedge-like bearing a white four-pointed star perhaps suggesting the main points of the compass.
The whole emblem seems to appear on an orange squarish flag.
Jan Mertens, 6 July 2007
The Royal Scarphout Yacht Club Blankenberge (RSYB), founded in 1955, is open to sailers and motor boaters. It is situated, strategically, near the yacht (former fishing) harbour. Scarphout is the name of a medieval village engulfed by the sea.
The burgee of RSYB, as shown on the club website, is horizontally divided white-black (the municipal colours); the municipal arms, with blue initials RSYB added to the white (silver) stripe, are placed in the centre of the flag, while a fimbriated blue dividing line, straight to the left of the arms and wavy to the right, is added; in the upper hoist is a royal crown in full colours.
Jan Mertens, 4 May 2007