Coat of Arms of the Faroe Islands

The Coat of Arms of the Faroe Islands first appear in one of the medieval chairs in Kirkjubøur in about the 15th century. It depicts a Ram on a shield. Later uses show a Ram in a seal used by the løgrættumenn, members of the Old Faroese law Court, the løgting. On the right one is depicted from 1533.

The Coat of Arms went out of use when the løgting was abolished in 1816. After the løgting was reestablished in 1852 and even when the Faroes were de-facto independent during the second world war the Coat of Arms was not used.

After the Home Rule Act came into force in 1948 the Coat of Arms came into use again. Not by the Løgting (Parliament) but by the Landsstýri (Government). The old title løgmaður had been reestablished, but this time as the leader of the government. And the Coat of Arms followed him. On 1 april 2004 the Prime Minister's Office announced that from then on the Prime Minister and the Prime Minister's Office would use a new version of the Coat of Arms. This new one was based on the original from the chairs from Kirkjubøur. The colours were inspired from the Merkið (flag) and yellow/golden was added. The new Coat of Arms depicts a Ram on a blue shield ready to defend. It can be used by the Government Ministries and by Faroese embassies, but some still use the older one.

See also: Coat of Arms of the Faroe Islands, 2004, Coat of Arms, Faroes, Kirkjubøur, Løgting, Merkið, Ram (sheep), Seal (device), 1 april