It’s in the middle of the 14th century that one finds a trace of the town’s first coats of arms. No less than six different blazons have been created since that period.
In heraldry, the coat of arms is described as follows: “It consists of a face with three silver bezants surmounted by three lily blossoms against an azure background, surrounded by oak leaves.” The blazon is red. Within it one sees three silver coins. Three lily blossoms appear at the top, against a blue background. The entire blazon is surrounded by oak leaves.
A motto, in Latin, is added to the coat of arms: “Servanti civem querna corona datur” [Whoever saves a citizen is awarded an oak leaf crown]. That was an ancient Roman tradition: the oak leaf crown was awarded to any citizen who had saved one of his fellow countrymen on the field of battle. Starting in the 16th century, this motto appears on the town’s coat of arms, and one finds it again it at the end of the 18th century on medals imprinted with depictions of arms.
In 1790, when the mason, Halgrain, and the miller, Brossier saved the life of a Chartres woman, they received (in accordance with the ancient tradition), from Mayor Asselin, a silver medal, stamped with the town arms, which bore the aforementioned motto. This medal had a ribbon attached that was decorated with all three of the nation’s colors.
Mairie de Chartres
Place des Halles
28000 Chartres
Standard tous services :
Tel. :+33 (0)2 37 23 40 00
Fax : +33 (0)2 37 23 41 99
Heures d'ouverture
Du lundi au vendredi : 9 h 00-17 h 00
Le samedi : 9 h 00-12 h 30
