Usingen is a small town in the Hochtaunuskreis in Hessen , Germany . Until 1972, this residential and school town was the seat of the former district of Usingen.
68-465: The earliest seal whose appearance is known – there had been earlier ones, but what they looked like is unknown – dates from 1277 and shows the four lions (golden ones denoting Nassau ; silver ones denoting Saarbrücken ), since the town was ruled then by the Counts of Nassau-Saarbrücken . Later seals did not show the billets and crosses with which the fields are spangled, but they reappeared in 1935, when
136-526: A Kreis (district) and are called kreisfreie Gemeinden , and when they do also not belong to any other Land they are also called Stadtstaaten (plural of Stadtstaat ), i.e. city-states ( Berlin and Hamburg ). These large municipalities (cities, in German Städte , plural of Stadt ) may be further divided into local offices named Ortsämter (plural of Ortsamt ), each of them possibly grouping several suburbs (or small townships in rural areas) of
204-513: A hospital . Usingen is home to a ground station with satellite dishes and various other antennas run by T-Systems . After the Second World War , during which the property had been used as an aerodrome , a shortwave transmission station was built here. In 1979 came the first big parabolic antenna . The station now houses more than 90 antennas, among them three dishes measuring 19 m across. Known far beyond Usingen's borders are
272-487: A Lion, and blazon him by his true name. A lion walking and looking about him, the early Heralds held to be acting the part of a leopard: consequently, when he was in any such attitude, they blazoned him as "a leopard". The animal bearing that name bore it simply as an heraldic title, which distinguished a Lion in a particular attitude. These heraldic "leopards" were drawn in every respect as other heraldic "lions", without spots or any leopardish distinction whatever. This explains
340-460: A blue shield decorated six golden lions rampant and wearing a blue helmet adorned with another lion. A chronicle dated to c. 1175 states that Geoffrey was given a shield of this description when he was knighted by his father-in-law, Henry I , in 1128. Earlier heraldic writers attributed the lions of England to William the Conqueror , but the earliest evidence of the association of lions with
408-463: A different color, it is said to be armed of that tincture, and if the tongue is a different color it is langued of that tincture. For example, the blazon of the monarch of Scotland is Or, a lion gules, within a double tressure flory counter-flory of the same, armed and langued azure. The arms of the Cinque Ports depict lions dimidiated with the hulks of ships, incorporating the front half of
476-786: A geographical region in Iceland but the name lives on in the names of two public libraries in Iceland that were established during the amt era. The Amts libraries in Akureyri and Stykkishólmur which were established as the designated archives for the North and East Amt and the West Amt respectively. Ambacht can be seen as the Dutch equivalent to amt . Ambachten existed in Holland , Zeeland and Flanders up to about 1800. From 1662 to 1919,
544-525: A lion rampant guardant (i.e., upright like a lion with its head turned to full face like a leopard) and a Lion léopardé as a lion passant (i.e., walking like a leopard with its head facing dexter like a lion). German-American heraldist Carl-Alexander von Volborth agrees with Rietstap's translations, in contrast to those of Fox-Davies as stated above. As if to clarify the situation, English heraldist Hugh Clark wrote in his Introduction to Heraldry (1829): The true heraldic lion, according to French authors,
612-496: A lion's whole body is turned to face right, he is to sinister or contourné . If his whole body faces the viewer, he is affronté . If his head only faces the viewer he is guardant or gardant , and if he looks back over his shoulder he is regardant . These adjectives follow any other adjectives of position. A lion (or other beast) coward carries the tail between its hind legs. The tail also may be knotted ( nowed ), forked ( queue fourchée ), doubled ( double-queued ; as in
680-399: A lympago, possesses a human face. Both lions and leopards may have been among the earliest beasts to appear in heraldry. The Oxford Guide to Heraldry notes that the earliest English treatise on heraldry, a late-13th or early-14th century Anglo-Norman manuscript titled De Heraudrie , mentions the crow, eagle, griffin, heron, leopard, lion, martlet, popinjay, and swan. Citing Bado Aureo,
748-545: A number of coats of arms with lions, most of them of ministeriales of the House of Habsburg. The lion in the coat of arms of Bohemia is depicted with two tails ( à la queue fourchée ). According to Ménestrier , this is due to a jest made by Emperor Frederick , who granted Vladislaus II, Duke of Bohemia a coat of arms with a lion coué , that is, with its tail between its legs. Vladislaus' men refused to follow this emblem, calling it an ape, so that Frederick agreed to improve
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#1732780520657816-462: A settlement on the modern town's site back in Carolingian times has yet to be unearthed, although, not far from town, the remains of a Carolingian courtyard were once dug up. The possibility therefore exists that today's Usingen might not lie on the same spot as it once did, having relocated at some time in the past. More investigation will be needed before this is ascertained. In 1207, being on
884-548: Is a French term for what the English call a Lion passant gardant . The word leopard is always made use of by the French heralds to express in their language, a lion full-faced, or gardant . Thus, when a lion is placed on an escutcheon in that attitude which we call rampant gardant , the French blazon it a Lion Leopardé . When he is passant only, they call him leopard lioné . English heraldist Charles Boutell wrote in 1890 that
952-508: Is always to be represented in profile, or, as the ancient heralds say, showing but one eye and one ear. His attitude, also, should always be rampant or ravaging. When passant and full-faced, they blazoned him a leopard, vide Lion Leopardé : in England, however, the lions in the royal and other achievements have always been blazoned as lions, however depicted since the time of Henry III, in whose reign they were called "Leopards". Lion Leopardé ...
1020-520: Is commonly referred to as the Lion of Saint Mark , although Arthur Fox-Davies defined as a Lion of Saint Mark one present in a specifically religious context and depicted with a halo . The winged lion is the traditional symbol of Venice , whose patron saint is Mark the Evangelist. A sea-lion, also called a morse, is depicted with the tail of a fish replacing its hindquarters, hind legs and tail. It
1088-417: Is described as naiant when depicted horizontally, and as resurgent when rising from water. They typically appear as supporters, but are also known as charges and crests. The lion-dragon is a lion with the lower body, hind legs, wings and tail of a wyvern , although Fox-Davies doubted the existence of this figure outside of heraldry books and reported not to know of any actual use of it. The man-lion, also called
1156-501: Is termed a léopard is always guardant (head turned toward the observer), thus the modern English heraldic terms "lion passant guardant", "lion passant", and "lion rampant guardant" correlate to the Old French terms léopard , lion léopardé , and léopard lionné , respectively. A small group of examples is depicted listed below. Western depictions Heraldic lions have also found their way onto municipal or county seals in
1224-541: Is the Evangelische Laurentiuskirche . Another great fire in 1692 destroyed the so-called Usinger Oberstadt (Upper Town). The overlord at that time, Prince Walrad (1635–1702) gave orders for its prompt reconstruction. Symmetrical rows of houses, which still form the townscape now, were built, and along the Obergasse (Upper Lane) appeared representative buildings. The so-called New Town's heart
1292-669: Is the only bathing lake in the Usinger Land . In summer, when the weather is good, it is the centre of attraction for many visitors from the Taunus and the Frankfurt Rhein-Main Region. Usingen station has at its disposal a good connection to the public railway network. Whereas railway lines have been closed elsewhere, things have gone the other way in the Hochtaunuskreis. The line that has connected
1360-541: Is used to offer decentralized services of the municipality within local administrative offices for the residents in neighbouring suburbs. The Ortsteil itself may also be confusingly translated as a "municipality", but it is incorrect because it belongs to a city which is the only effective municipality ( Gemeinde ). The amt (plural, amter ; translated as "county") was an administrative unit of Denmark (and, historically, of Denmark-Norway ). The counties were established by royal decree in 1662 as replacements for
1428-526: The 5th century , they were re-interpreted in a Christian context in the western kingdoms of Gaul and Italy in the 6th and 7th centuries. The characteristic of the lion as royal animal in particular is due to the influence of the Physiologus , an early Christian book about animal symbolism, originally written in Greek in the 2nd century and translated into Latin in about AD 400. It was a predecessor of
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#17327805206571496-643: The Middle Ages . It is likely that Usingen was granted town rights in the 14th century. As of 1659, the Counts resided in the castle, now converted into a stately home with a lovely garden, and from 1688 to 1744 the Princes of Nassau-Usingen lived there. One prominent personage in Usingen's history was Fürst (Prince) Walrad. When Nassau-Saarbrücken lands were being divided up on 31 March 1659, Count Walrad got
1564-526: The Oxford Guide further suggests that the leopard, said to be "borne of an adulterous union between a lioness and a pard ," and like a mule incapable of reproducing, may be an appropriate charge for a person born of adultery or barred from reproducing (such as an abbot ). As a general rule, English heralds tend to identify lions as rampant (upright, in profile facing dexter), and leopards as passant guardant (walking, head turned to full face), but
1632-516: The Staufen (Hohenstaufen) and Wittelsbach ( Palatinate ) coats of arms, both deriving from Henry the Lion , the royal coat of arms of Scotland , attributed to William the Lion , the coat of arms of Denmark , first used by Canute VI , the coat of arms of Flanders ( Jülich ), first used by Philip I , the coat of arms of León , an example of canting arms attributed to Alfonso VII (1126), and
1700-464: The University of Birmingham . Alternatively, a lion may be depicted with one head connected to two distinct bodies, in which case it its termed bicorporated. If the conjoined bodies are three, the lion is instead termed tricorporated. These multi-bodied lions, however, are very rare. Also, the claws and tongue of the lion may be described as a different tincture than a "proper" lion. If the claws are
1768-461: The Usinger Land to Frankfurt since 1895 has been run since 1993 by the district as the Taunusbahn . At peak hours, the trains run half-hourly, and otherwise hourly, to Bad Homburg. Peak hours also bring hourly through trains to Frankfurt's main railway station . Service stops at about 23:00 (0:00 on Saturday nights). Usingen is the seat of an Amtsgericht (local district court) and home to
1836-526: The Usinger Land . He governed for 43 years and was a respected commander, among other things field marshal of the Dutch States Army under William III of Orange . His period of rule was a decisive factor in making Usingen the way it is today, since after the Thirty Years' War and the three town fires in the 17th century – with their attendant drop in population – he settled Huguenots in
1904-600: The Usinger Schloss into a Baroque residence between 1733 and 1738 as instructed by Princess Charlotte Amalie, Prince Wilhelm Heinrich I's widow. In 1873, a great fire destroyed the Schloss , which was afterwards built anew. Today it is used as a Gymnasium (Christian-Wirth-Schule). Bordering right on the Schloss is the Usinger Schlossgarten , the stately home garden. The main church of Usingen
1972-425: The amter were composed of a number of municipalities ( kommuner ). The reform granted the counties wider areas of responsibility, most notably running the national health service and the gymnasium secondary schools. The municipal reform of 1 January 2007 abolished the amter and replaced them with five administrative regions , now mainly charged with running the national health service. In contrast to
2040-416: The amter , the regions hold no authority to levy taxes. The reform re-delegated all other areas of responsibility to either the municipalities or the state. At the same time, smaller municipalities were merged into larger units, cutting the number of municipalities from 270 to 98. In Germany an Amt was a medieval administrative district covering a manorial estate or the land owned by a castle or village. It
2108-637: The coat of arms of Bohemia , first granted to Vladislaus II . Coats of arms of the 13th century include those of the House of Sverre ( coat of arms of Norway ), the Ludovingians (the lion of Hesse used by Conrad of Thuringia ), Luxembourg , the kingdom of Ruthenia ( Volhynia ), the House of Habsburg (the Habsburgs all but abandoned their original coat of arms after gaining the Duchy of Austria in
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2176-659: The coat of arms of Jerusalem . Similar-looking lions can be found elsewhere, such as in the coat of arms of the Swedish royal House of Bjälbo , from there in turn derived into the coat of arms of Finland , formerly belonging to Sweden. The animals of the "barbarian" ( Eurasian ) predecessors of heraldic designs are likely to have been used as clan symbols . Symmetrically paired animals in particular find continuation from Migration Period art via Insular art to Romanesque art and heraldry. Adopted in Germanic tradition around
2244-414: The leopard , denoting a lion passant guardant, was a term of French origin that had "long since become obsolete in English armory. In French blazon, however, the old distinction is still observed." Fox-Davies continued, "[French heralds] term our lion passant a léopard-lionné and our lion rampant guardant is their lion-léopardé ." Dutch heraldist Johannes Rietstap , however, defined a Léopard lionné as
2312-467: The 1270s, but it remained in use in derived lineages such as the House of Kyburg ), the kingdom of Bulgaria and the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia ( Rubenids ). Unlike the eagle , which is comparatively rare in heraldry because it was reserved as an imperial symbol , the lion became a symbol of chivalry and was not restricted to royal coats of arms. The Zürich armorial (14th century) has
2380-481: The English crown is a seal bearing two lions passant, used by the future King John during the lifetime of his father, Henry II , who died in 1189. Since Henry was the son of Geoffrey Plantagenet, it seems reasonable to suppose that the adoption of lions as an heraldic emblem by Henry or his sons might have been inspired by Geoffrey's shield. John's elder brother, Richard the Lionheart , who succeeded his father on
2448-661: The United States. Outside of classical heraldry, lions have also found their way onto the coats of arms or emblems used by modern states in Asia, often based on traditional depictions of lions in the respective cultures or regions. Amt (subnational entity) Amt is a type of administrative division governing a group of municipalities, today only in Germany, but formerly also common in other countries of Northern Europe . Its size and functions differ by country and
2516-473: The Usingen library. On the upper floors are found many places where concerts and gatherings can be accommodated. The wedding room is a favourite place for couples to plight their troth. At the north end of Eschbach stands a group of cliffs up to 12 m high and made of quartz . The cliff wall is the visible part of a roughly six-kilometre-long quartz seam which continues slantwise across the Usa Valley to
2584-473: The Wormstein in Usingen town forest. From a geological standpoint, it is an oblique upthrow (fault with one side thrust up higher than the other) formed by faulting in the mountain range. The erosion-resistant quartz has lasted to this day and can be seen in many places in the Taunus, but nowhere is it more spectacular than here. Climbers use the steeper walls for training. The Hattsteinweiher near Usingen
2652-401: The arms by giving the lion not just one but two erect tails. As many attitudes (positions) now exist in heraldry as the heraldist's imagination can conjure, as a result of the ever-increasing need for differentiation, but very few of these were apparently known to medieval heralds. One distinction commonly made (especially among French heralds), although it may be of limited importance, is
2720-451: The arms of the kingdom of Bohemia), or cut off ( defamed ). In addition to the attitudes it is depicted in, a certain variety is present in heraldic lions regarding the presence of additional physical features. Beyond the presence of double or forked tails, heraldic lions are sometimes depicted with two heads, as in the case of the arms of the Mason of Birmingham, from whom they were passed to
2788-432: The attitude of their "Lions" were heraldic "leopards". In Heraldry: Sources, Symbols and Meaning (1976), German heraldist Ottfried Neubecker explained: When the blazon does not specifically mention a position, the lion may be assumed to be rampant. If he is in a different position, other terminology must be used, referring to the position of his head and limbs. An early heraldic convention found in medieval blazons uses
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2856-441: The communities of Usingen, Eschbach, Kransberg, Merzhausen, Michelbach, Wernborn and Wilhelmsdorf merged in 1972 into the town of Usingen. Even after losing its function as district seat (Usingen district was merged with Obertaunus district to form the Hochtaunuskreis with its seat at Bad Homburg) Usingen is more than ever the midpoint of the Usinger Land . Note: FWG is a citizens' coalition. Usingen maintains partnerships with
2924-682: The community of Schmitten , in the west on the community of Weilrod and in the northwest on the community of Grävenwiesbach . Usingen ( Latin Osinga ), which in Frankish times likely existed as a fortified stopping place at an old crossroads, was first mentioned in the Codex Eberhardi , a manuscript from the Fulda monastery, and it is generally accepted that references made to the town go back to between 754 and 802. Archaeological proof of
2992-601: The current arms were conferred. An earlier town symbol, a cloverleaf (or heraldically, a trefoil ), may explain the charge on the inescutcheon. This was also added to the arms in 1935. Usingen lies on the Usa River in the Usinger Becken at the north-eastern edge of the Taunus . It is located about 30 km north of Frankfurt am Main , 27 km south of Wetzlar and 38 km northeast of Wiesbaden , putting it on
3060-459: The distinction between a lion and a leopard previously employed by the ancient Greeks. In antiquity, the lion, having a heavy mane, was generally shown in profile, while the leopard, having less hair, was shown looking towards the observer. A lion looking towards the observer therefore came to be given the name of the animal usually shown in that pose. According to Neubecker, what in Old French
3128-405: The distinction of lions in the walking positions as leopards . The following table summarizes the principal attitudes of heraldic lions: Note: the term segreant denotes the same position, but is only used in reference to winged four-legged beasts like griffins and dragons . Note: A lion thus depicted may be called a "leopard" (see discussion below). Other terms are used to describe
3196-621: The edge of the Frankfurt Rhein-Main Region . The town core is about 300 m above sea level . The highest elevation in the main town of Usingen is the Hohe Berg ("High Mountain"), 414 m above sea level. Usingen borders in the north and east on the Wetteraukreis (town of Butzbach and community of Ober-Mörlen ), in the southeast on the community of Wehrheim , in the south on the town of Neu-Anspach and
3264-407: The following places: In the middle of downtown Usingen is Usingen's stately home, the Usinger Schloss . The home's exact origins have yet to be fully explained. It is assumed that it was built in the 14th century as a castle under Johann I of Nassau-Weilburg. Prince Walrad had a new stately home built on the castle's site in 1660–1663. The architect Friedrich Joachim Stengel (1694–1787) remodelled
3332-457: The former fiefs ( Len ). The amter were originally composed of market towns ( købstæder ) and parishes , and held only small areas of responsibility. There were some changes to the borders of these counties over time, most notably when Roskilde County ( da ) was merged into Roskilde County ( da ) in 1808, and when Skanderborg County ( da ) was periodically merged into Århus County Skanderborg County ( da ). After Southern Jutland
3400-425: The heraldic distinction between lions and leopards is often ambiguous and in some cases may be controversial (as in the case of the royal arms of England , discussed below). Part of the confusion arises from international differences in translation or in the defining characteristics of each, particularly in charges that show some characteristics of each. English herald Arthur Charles Fox-Davies asserted in 1909 that
3468-402: The hospital services of the købstader without paying taxes for them, it became evident that reform was necessary. In 1958, interior minister Søren Olesen set in motion administrative reforms that would culminate in 1970. The municipal reform of 1 April 1970 reduced the number of counties to fourteen and eliminated the administrative distinction between (rural) parish and town. From then on,
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#17327805206573536-497: The lion and the rear of the vessel. This was originally the result of the joining of the lions or of the royal arms of England with the ships argent of the arms of the townships of the Ports. Over time, the conjoined figure came to be considered as a single heraldic charge in itself, and granted as such as new charges. Winged lions are depicted in arms as both passant and, more commonly, sejant, and also appear as supporters. This figure
3604-410: The lion's position in further detail. Each coat of arms has a right and left (i.e. dexter and sinister ) side - with respect to the person carrying the shield - so the left side of the shield as drawn on the page (thus the right side to the shield bearer) is called the dexter side. The lion's head is normally seen in agreement with the overall position, facing dexter (left) unless otherwise stated. If
3672-483: The lions of England were generally termed leopards until the end of the 14th century, including in the roll of arms of Henry III of England , and in a statute of Edward I of England , dating to 1300, which made reference to " signée de une teste de leopart —marked with the King's lion." In English Heraldry (1867), Boutell explained: Only when he was in this rampant attitude did the early Heralds consider any Lion to be
3740-663: The lot where the house stood, where a bank building now stands, a memorial stone with a plaque recalls the important violinist. Usingen was until 1886 the seat of an Amt and thereafter, until 1972 a district seat. The scant industrial development in modern times could not even be strengthened by the railway connection that came in 1895. Usingen has been since the time of the Reformation a school town: Latin school until 1817, teachers' college from 1851 to 1926, Christian-Wirth-Schule ( Gymnasium ) since 1926 – today together with many other kinds of school. As part of municipal reform,
3808-566: The medieval bestiaries . At the time, few Europeans had a chance to encounter actual lions, so that painters had to rely on traditional depictions and had no actual animals as models. The lion as a heraldic charge is present from the very earliest development of heraldry in the 12th century. One of the earliest known examples of armory as it subsequently came to be practiced can be seen on the tomb of Geoffrey Plantagenet, Count of Anjou , who died in 1151. An enamel, probably commissioned by Geoffrey's widow between 1155 and 1160, depicts him carrying
3876-460: The municipality named Ortsteile (plural of Ortsteil ), named from small villages or hamlets or localities. The Ortsteil (suburb or township) may have been a former parish, but today it is meant only for civil purpose and essentially used for planning within the municipality; the Ortsamt (sometimes just named informally but confusingly as an Amt , or informally translated as an "urban district")
3944-552: The other above-mentioned units, is subordinate to a Kreis ( district ) and is a collection of municipalities. The amt is lower than district-level government but higher than municipal government, and may be described as a supra-municipality or "municipal confederation". Normally, it consists of very small municipalities ( Gemeinden , plural of Gemeinde ). Larger municipalities do not belong to an Amt and are called amtsfreie Gemeinden (independent municipalities); some of these municipalities might also not be governed by or linked with
4012-408: The outskirts of the Usinger Land , it passed into the ownership of the Counts of Diez, who had acquired this Imperial estate in exchange for Mainz-Kastell (fort). A Nassau castle – in 1326, the Counts of Nassau had acquired the Usinger Land by pledge, and by 1405 for good – on the site of today's Christian-Wirth-Schule (school) and a wall with five towers protected this small weaving town in
4080-613: The term is roughly equivalent to a British or U.S. county . The Amt (plural: Ämter ) is unique to the German Bundesländer (federal states) of Schleswig-Holstein , Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Brandenburg . Other German states had this division in the past. Some states have similar administrative units called Samtgemeinde ( Lower Saxony ), Verbandsgemeinde ( Rhineland-Palatinate ) or Verwaltungsgemeinschaft ( Baden-Württemberg , Bavaria , Saxony , Saxony-Anhalt , Thuringia ). An Amt , as well as
4148-542: The throne, is believed to have been the first to have borne the arms of three lions passant-guardant, still the arms of England, having earlier used two lions rampant combatant, which arms may also have belonged to his father. Richard is also credited with having originated the English crest of a lion statant (now statant-guardant). Apart from the lions of the Plantagenet (England and Normandy) coat of arms, 12th-century examples of lions used as heraldic charges include
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#17327805206574216-521: The town and had the New Town built. Another personage worthy of note was the violinist August Wilhelmj . He was made an honorary citizen of Usingen on 31 March 1876 on the occasion of his last concert in the town of his birth – Usingen. He was born there on 21 September 1845. The house where he was born stood at the lower end of the Rathauspassage , now called Wilhelmjstraße in his honour. On
4284-637: The usage, retained until late in the 14th century, which assigned to the Lions of the Royal Shield of England the name of "leopards". They were so called, not by the enemies of England for derision and insult, as some persons, in their ignorance of early Heraldry, have been pleased both to imagine and to assert; but the English Kings and Princes, who well knew their "Lions" to be Lions, in blazon styled them "leopards", because they also knew that Lions in
4352-596: The yearly Usinger Flohmarkt ( flea market ) in late June and the Usinger Laurentiusmarkt , every second weekend in September. Lion (heraldry) The lion is a common charge in heraldry . It traditionally symbolises courage , nobility , royalty , strength, stateliness and valour , because historically the lion has been regarded as the "king of beasts". The lion also carries Judeo-Christian symbolism. The Lion of Judah stands in
4420-591: Was headed by an Amtmann , usually a lesser nobleman or cleric, appointed by a territorial lord to administer and dispense justice within the Amt . While Iceland was a territory of the Danish-Norwegian realm, amts (singular: amt ; plural: ömt ) were established in the country on top of the existing counties . From 1684 to 1770, Iceland as whole was a single amt in the Kingdom of Denmark-Norway but
4488-551: Was returned to Denmark after the 1920 Schleswig plebiscites , four new counties were created in the area. During the 20th century, the powers of the counties were expanded, when they were granted responsibility for the hospital service. The købstæder , which by this time had been separated from the counties and were overseen by the Interior Ministry , assumed the same responsibility. As the population became increasingly urbanized, and many rural communities came to rely on
4556-684: Was shaped by the Hugenottenkirche with what is nowadays the old marketplace. Benedikt Burtscher was the building master of the church, built in 1700 and showing in its building style certain commonalities with the well known church at La Rochelle . After the Huguenot church fell out of use with the union of the Lutheran Protestants and the Reformed Church, it was soon converted into a school. Today, however, it houses
4624-486: Was then split into two amts: North and East Amt ( Norður- og Austuramt ) and South and West Amt ( Suður- og Vesturamt ). The latter was in 1787 split into a West Amt ( Vesturamt ) and South Amt ( Suðuramt ). Iceland was thus divided into three amts until 1872, when the South and West amts were again merged. Amts were abolished in 1904, when Iceland gained home rule from Denmark. Amts are not used to denote
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