MAY 22, 2026 — The municipal council of Lochristi, Belgium, has approved the final designs for a new municipal flag and coat of arms to represent the territory following its merger with neighbouring Wachtebeke on January 1, 2025, says VRT and Lo Actueel.
The decision advances a redesign process that began after the amalgamation rendered both previous municipal symbols obsolete.
The finalized designs incorporate colour and structural elements derived from the historical symbols of both predecessor entities, utilizing a horizontal tricolour scheme of white, blue, and yellow.
According to officials, this specific colour combination was chosen partly due to its rarity, which they contend will enhance visual recognition. The central blue stripe features a wavy pattern with seven distinct undulations.
Local authorities state that this design mimics the Zuidlede, a watercourse that historically served as the geographic boundary between Lochristi and Wachtebeke, while the seven waves correspond to the seven population centres now comprising the unified municipality.
A prominent feature introduced to both the flag and the coat of arms is a stylized red azalea. Local politicians selected the floral emblem to emphasize the region’s commercial floriculture and ornamental plant industries, asserting that the symbol reflects the identity of the expanded municipality without diminishing the cultural heritage of Wachtebeke.
The design marks the first documented inclusion of an azalea in official Flemish heraldry.
Following the municipal council’s ratification, the design dossier has been forwarded to the secretariat of the Flemish Heraldic Council (Vlaamse Heraldische Raad).
The specialized body, which had previously issued an informal positive assessment of the concepts, will conduct a formal evaluation before submitting the designs to the Flemish Government for official executive approval and registration.
Image: Municipality of Lochristi
