What is its meaning and what does its colors represent?
The flag of Italy It is one of the patriotic symbols of the Italian Republic, and one of the most recognized internationally. It is popularly known by the citizens of this nation as “il tricolore”.
The Italian flag is a flag made up of three vertical stripes of the same size, with the colors, from left to right, green, white and red, in a ratio of 2:3.
This flag, as such, was officially adopted as a national symbol to identify this country in 1946, after the end of the Second World War, when the current Italian Republic was established.
The flag of Italy is very similar in its design and colors to the flag of Mexico. However, these differ in the proportion, since the Mexican flag has a 4:7 and the Italian flag has a 2:3, and in the shield that the Mexican flag has in the white stripe.
National Flag Day in Italy is celebrated annually on January 7.
History of the Italian flag
The flag of Italy is inspired by the model of the flag of France, introduced by the revolution in the times of Napoleon.
It was Napoleon who assigned to a corps of volunteers from the Lombard Legion, in 1796, a banner with the current colors of the Italian flag.
This banner would be adopted as the emblem of the Cisalpine Republic until its abolition, but it would reappear again during the five days of Milan.
It would be in 1848 when the Italian tricolor flag would officially become the Italian flag thanks to King Charles Albert of Savoy, who would place the coat of arms of the house of Savoy in the center. To this flag was added, in 1861, a royal crown on the Savoyard shield.
This model would remain in force for more than eighty years, until the definitive fall of the monarchy, which occurred in 1946, after the end of the Second World War. The design it currently uses does not have any shield or insignia.
Meaning of the colors of Italy
There are different theories and interpretations about the meaning of the colors of the Italian flag. One of them points out the kinship with the French flag and the intention to reproduce the ideals of the revolution, mainly natural rights (equality and freedom), contained in the color green.
Another interpretation states that each color refers to a different feeling: the color green would symbolize hope; white, faith, and red, love.
On the other hand, there is also the theory that the colors only represent the Italian territory: white, like the snow of the Alps; red, like the lava of the volcanoes and green, like the fields and plains of Lombardy.
See also: flag of Mexico and flag of France.