Flag of Italy – Brief History & Meaning Behind the Colours

Last Updated on September 21, 2021

The flag of Italy often referred to in Italian as il Tricolore, is the national flag of Italy. It is a tricolour featuring three equally sized vertical pales of green, white and red, national colours of Italy, with the green at the hoist side, as defined by article 12 of the Constitution of the Italian Republic. The Italian law regulates its use and display, protecting its defense and providing for the crime of insulting it; it also prescribes its teaching in Italian schools together with other national symbols of Italy.

Brief History of the Flag of Italy

It is believed that the first use of the tricolor was observed in 1794. A cockade worn by the students of University of Bologna wore the cockades to represent Jacobin revolutionary ideals. However, the colors chosen were from the flag of Bologna and were used to distinguish them from the French. Just a few years later, a cockade with the colors of green, white and red were given to Napoleon Bonaparte in Milan, and it was at this time that he determined the Milan Civic Guard would carry banners of these colors and design.

The first tricolor flag was adopted in 1797 by the Cispadane Republic. The flag was later altered the next year, although the colors remained the same. Throughout history, the flag was changed during the times of the Italian Republic and the Kingdom of Italy. However, the colors always remained green, red and white.

The current design of the tricolor flag was put into use in 1946 and was formally adopted as the national flag in 1948. The most recent design was adopted in 2006 after the shades of colors were altered from original versions.

Meaning Behind the Colours of the Flag of Italy

Like many other flags in nations around the world, Italy’s national flag has meaning in its design – particularly the three colors chosen for the flag. These colors were first used by the Cisalpine Republic in 1797 after the defeat of Milan. Red and white were the colors of Milan, while green was the color of the Milanese civic guard uniforms. However, some see the colors as holding more significance.

It is thought by many that the color green is representative of Italy’s land. White represents the snow-topped peaks of the Alps, while the red is representative of the bloodshed during the Wards of Italian Independence and Unification. However, some believe that the flag has more religious symbolism, with the three colors representing the virtues of hope, faith and charity.