Coat of arms of Italy: photo with description, history of creation, meaning and interesting facts. Coat of arms of Italy

The symbolism of Italy is in many ways original and distinctive, because this European country has long roots, going back to the ancient era and even deeper. Therefore, Italy took part of its current symbolism, which is well-established including at the official level, from its main predecessor - Rome. But first things first.

Today, the main symbol of the country Italy is an equal-beam five-pointed star, known as “Stellone d"Italia” (literally from Italian - “Star of Italy”). The star is not “filled” with color, only its outline has a bright red tint. Historically, the five-pointed star was used in iconographic motifs of this region, but in a national context it first “made itself known" in the era of the Risorgimento, becoming the distinctive sign of the representatives of the movement of the same name. Since 1890, the “Star of Italy” has officially appeared on the coat of arms of the (already unified) state. Since then, it has been the national symbol of Italy (picture below), which embodies the image of a nation that has achieved unity and defeated all its enemies.

At the same time, the original symbolism of the "Stellone d" Italia emblem, which was known here in antiquity, is unknown. But the meaning of another national symbol of Italy - the cogwheel, which is also present on the modern coat of arms of this country - is known for sure. The cogwheel is an image of mass labor It is believed to embody the first article of the Italian Constitution, which states that Italy is a sovereign republic based on free labor.

Another symbol of the country of Italy, which is also present on the national coat of arms, is the olive branch. In principle, the meaning of this emblem is universal, the olive is a symbol of peace (this is how it is positioned - the embodiment of the eleventh article of the Italian Constitution, where the country rejects armed aggression as an instrument of foreign policy). However, knowing the history of this region even superficially, it is not entirely clear how legitimate it is to call the Italians a “peace-loving” people. On the other hand, the olive is one of the most common plants in Italy.

Another “plant” symbol of Italy (you can find a picture of the country’s coat of arms with all the listed emblems above) is an oak branch (if wider, just an oak). The symbolism of the oak here is no less obvious (and, it must be said, more realistic than the symbolism of the olive), it indicates the strength, resilience and courage of the Italian people. In addition, oak is the original symbol of wisdom, and given the ancient past of the region, this is fair.

Continuing the theme of floral emblems, it is worth mentioning that sometimes the daisy is also called the symbol of Italy, but this emblem is less local and during the era of Christianization of Europe it was widespread throughout the continent (here we must remember the universal symbolism of this flower in the context of its correlation with the image of the Virgin Mary).

Another truly ancient and sacred Italian symbol associated with its “pagan” past is the Capitoline she-wolf nursing Romulus and Remus. Considering the mythological background of the image, the she-wolf (as the image of a protective mother) is indeed rightly called a symbol of ancient Rome and Italy, as the heir of this once powerful state.

God created Italy according to Michelangelo's design.

(Mark Twain)

Italy(official name - Italian Republic) is a state in southern Europe, in the center of the Mediterranean. The origin of the word "italia" is not exactly known. According to the most common point of view, the term came from Greece. It means " calf country", because it was the bull that was the symbol of the peoples who once inhabited the south of the Apennine Peninsula.

Symbols Italy

The colors of the Italian flag were adopted in 1797. The tricolor (red, white, green) expresses ideals Italian citizens – fraternity, equality and justice.

Pizza ♨

To date, more than 2000 of its variants are known. On June 11, 1889, the most famous pizza maker in Naples prepared a pizza in accordance with the colors of the national flag of Italy - tomatoes, mozzarella and basil, to which Queen Margherita of Savoy gave her name "Margherita". Since then, the food of the poor has conquered expensive restaurants

Italian "boot"

Perhaps, by living in a territory similar to a boot, you can learn how to make beautiful and comfortable shoes

Political structure

Italy is a republic led by a president and with a bicameral parliament.

Administrative structure

in 1948, 20 regions (regions) were identified, which were divided into provinces (95 in total), and these, in turn, into districts.

Population

In the 21st century population Italy has reached 58 million people; in terms of population density (about 200 people per sq. km), Italy ranks 4th in Europe.

Predominant religion- Catholicism.

State language- Italian, belongs to the Romance group of languages of the Indo-European family. There are also different dialects of Italian in Italy. It is customary to divide all dialects into dialects of the North, Center and South. Modern Italian can be called a dialect that has managed to “make a career”; it is widely used in socio-political life. At the same time, in the Florentine dialect they speak more not about politics, but about culture, like the greatest artists born in Florence - Dante Alighieri, Giovanni Boccaccio. The German language is officially recognized as equal to Italian in Bolzano and South Tyrol, Slovenian has regional status in Gorizia and Trieste, French in the Aosta Valley.

Geographical position

The Italian "boot" crashes into the Mediterranean Sea between Greece and Spain. The coast makes up 80% of the borders and is washed by the waters of four inland seas - Ligurian, Tyrrhenian, Ionian and Adriatic.

According to its relief, Italy is divided into three main regions - the Apennine Peninsula, the Padana Plain and the Italian Alps.

Mountains

The Apennines are a range of limestone hills from Genoa to Sicily, formed as a result of later geological movement.

The Italian Alps arose as a result of the folding of the earth's crust in the Tertiary period and form a giant barrier between Italy and northern Europe.

Plains and lowlands

Valleys occupy approximately a quarter of Italy's territory. The Padana Plain lies on the site of a vast tectonic depression between the Alps and the Apennines, which is gradually filled with river sediments.

Rivers

The Po River crosses the Padan Plain from west to east (652 km). Its numerous tributaries flow from the adjacent slopes of the Alps and Apennines. There are many hydroelectric power plants installed on the abundant alpine tributaries. The upper tributaries of the Po River cut through the Italian Alps with a dense network of transverse valleys along which railroads and highways pass connecting Italy with France and Switzerland. The rivers of the Apennine Peninsula are small, the largest being the Tiber (405 km).

Lakes

A characteristic feature of the Pre-Alps zone is the presence of large lakes (Lago Maggiore, Lugano, Como, Iseo, Garda). There are many resorts located in the basins of these lakes.

Climate

In most of Italy the climate is Mediterranean, in the Padanian Plain it becomes temperate, in the upper mountain zone it is cold. The climate also varies on the coast. So, on the Tyrrhenian it is maritime, on the Adriatic it is more continental. Local climatic features are characteristic of the Apennine Peninsula and islands, the Padanian Plain and the Italian Alps. The peninsula is a subtropical zone with a predominance of air masses of Atlantic origin: tropical in summer, temperate in winter. The average July temperature is about 24°C in the north of the peninsula and 26°C in the south. Winds in summer are predominantly north-easterly with little strength, with the exception of the African sirocco (southern or southwest wind). Winter is characterized by cyclones with precipitation. The average temperature in the south of the peninsula is 10°C, in the interior parts 3°C. Snow falls at low altitudes only in the northern part of the peninsula; stable cover forms only in the mountains. Winter is mild. The climate on the Italian Riviera is especially mild (the average January temperature in Genoa is 7°C)

Achievements of the ancient Romans

Roman fountains

The word fountain comes from the Latin fontis - source. In ancient Roman fountains, water did not shoot upward in streams, but flowed down. Water flowed through aqueducts into numerous fountains: they imitated springs, and residents took water from them. The Romans knew almost no stomach diseases, since the water supplied from the slopes of the local hills was triple purified through coal, sand and herbal filters.

Roman roads and bridges

During the Roman Republic, paved roads began to be built. With the onset of the rainy season, the Romans, who were constantly at war, did not want to stop the movement of the legions - they began to pave the roads with stone.

The first road between Rome and Capia was built by the censor Appius Claudius. It took over 100 years to complete. 900 years later, the historian Procopius called the Appian Way one of the wonders of the world: not a single stone was destroyed or even worn out. It is still in use today; in some parts of it traces of Roman carts have been preserved. The distance between the wheels of Roman carts (about 143 cm) became the modulus of the width of the rail track for many railways, since the first trains were tested in mines built by the Romans.

Along the roads, mile stones (pillars) were installed every thousand (Latin mille – thousand) double steps. The length of the Roman mile was about 1500 m.

Traffic Laws

Street traffic in Rome was quite intense, and Julius Caesar took charge of regulating it. To avoid traffic collisions, one-way streets were introduced. The passage of private chariots and carts around Rome during the day was prohibited. Visitors had to leave their vehicles outside the city.

The prototype of the newspaper is considered to be the handwritten Acta Populi Romani Diurna (Daily Deeds of the Roman People). They appeared in Rome in 168 BC. – in busy squares they placed boards on which news was written in chalk. There were “fried” facts, weather reports, and an “incidents” section.

Roman law

The legal system of the Roman Empire survived through extensive development. The Code of Justinian (528 – 534) formed the basis of some modern legislation (for example, France or the State of Louisiana in the USA).

From the history

You can learn more about the history of Italy by following this link.

We consider symbolic plants and national flowers of the countries of the world, official and folk. Look in which countries which flower has become a symbol and how it has earned people's love.

Flowers and plants are national symbols and protectors of the country

Flowers have deeply penetrated our lives and occupied an important place there, and some of their species even influence the existence of states.

For example, the symbol of Scotland is the thistle, which in the 13th century protected the Scots from the attacks of the Normans. During one of the raids, the Normans decided to attack at night and so that no one would hear them, they took off their shoes.

But they could not walk barefoot for a long time as they stepped on the thistles. Starting to scream in pain, they gave themselves away and the plan failed, and the Scots made the thistle their symbol.

A fact of this magnitude speaks volumes. Many flowers have become the calling card of countries, and some of them are an important part of the economy.

To be the flower symbol of the country is a huge honor, deserved by centuries of people's love.

Many national flowers of the countries of the world not only delighted residents with their appearance and aroma, but became real life saviors. During times of famine, terrible epidemics and devastation, they saved people from death.

It is not surprising that society has not forgotten its heroes, and flowers have become a symbol of warmth and kindness. We would like to present to your attention some national flowers of the countries of the world.

National flowers and plants of the countries of the world - symbols of states

Austria

England- Rose. (Tudor Rose). The national flower of England has a long and impressive history associated with many, sometimes tragic events.

Argentina- Erythrina (Cockscomb). Ceibo (Erythrina Christa-Galli), officially adopted on December 2, 1942.

Belarus- Linen. Flax (Linum Usitatissimum)

Belgium- Poppy Red. Red Poppy (Papaver Rhoeas)

Bulgaria– Rose

Brazil— Cattleya orchid. CattleyaOrchid (CattleyaLabiata)

Venezuela— Orchid

Hungary- Tulip. Tulip (Tulipa)

Germany- Cornflower. Knapweed (Centaurea Cyanus)

Greece- Acanthus. Bear's Breech (Acanthus Mollis)

Egypt- Lotus. Lotus (Nymphaea Lotus)

India- Lotus. Lotus (Nelumbo Nucifera)

Spain- Red clove. Red carnation

Ireland- Clover. The national flower of Ireland is the Shamrock clover, which is the common name for several unrelated herbaceous plants with trifoliate leaves).

Italy- Lily. Stylized Lily

Canada— Sugar maple. The maple leaf has been considered the national flower of Canada for over 150 years. The national symbol of Canada originated in the province of Quebec.

China- Plum. Plum Blossom (Prunus Mei)

Colombia- Orchid. Christmas orchid (Cattleya Trianae)

Cuba- Jasmine. Butterfly Jasmine (Mariposa)

Latvia- Common cornflower. Oxeye Daisy, or Pipene (Leucanthemum Vulgare)

Lithuania- Blessed mint. Rue or Herb of Grace (Ruta graveolens)

Malta— Palaeocentaurea. The national flower of Malta is a very amazing and rare plant. Palaeocentaurea grows only in Malta and belongs to the plants of the Ice Age.

The popular name of Malta's national flower translates to "sea ears or ears of the sea" due to the fact that Palaeocentaurea grows very close to the sea on the coastal hills. Currently, the flower symbol of Malta is much easier to find in a city flowerbed than in natural conditions.

Netherlands (Holland)- Tulip. Tulip (Tulipa)

New Zealand— Flower of the Kauwai tree (from the Maori language). Kowhai Kowhai or botanically known as Sophora Microphylla, is a beautiful yellow or golden flower.

Norway— Heather ( Calluna vulgaris). Norway's national flower is spelled røsslyng in the local language. The plant is an excellent honey plant and is used to prepare a special type of beer - heather ale.

Pakistan— Jasmine White. The national flower of Pakistan is called "Chambeli" in local language.

Paraguay– Jasmine of Paraguay. Jasmine-of-the-Paraguay

Peru- Cantuta. Kantuta, magical flower of the Incas.

Poland- Red poppy. Corn Poppy (Papaver Rhoeas)

Portugal- Lavender. Lavender

Russia— Flower symbol of Russia — Chamomile. Camomile (Matricaria Recutita)

Romania- Rose hip. Dog Rose (Rosa Canina)

Slovenia- Carnation. Carnation (Dianthus Caryophyllus)

USA- Rose. The national flower of the United States was officially approved in October 1985, and the rose is referred to as the "national flower emblem."

Tajikistan- Tulip. The national flower of Tajikistan occupies a special place in folk culture. In honor of the tulip, the national holiday “Sairi-Lola” is held annually.

Türkiye- Tulip. Tulip (Tulipa)

Ukraine- Sunflower. Sunflower (Helianthus Annuus)

Uruguay— Erythrina (Cock's Comb). Ceibo Erythrina (Christa Galli)

Finland— May lily of the valley. Lily-of-the-Valley (Convallaria Majalis)

France– Iris. Iris

Croatia– Iris Croatian. Iris Croatica (Hrvatska Perunika)

Czech– Rose

Switzerland- Edelweiss. Edelweiss (Leontopodium Alpinum)

Sweden- Linnea. Linnea (Linnea borealis)

Scotland— Roadside thistle. Thistle (Cirsium altissimum)

Estonia- Cornflower. Corn-flower or Bachelor's Button Centaurea (Cyanus). Estonia's national flower was chosen in a television poll in 1968. In the modern territory of Estonia, cornflower has been growing for more than 10 thousand years. The national flower of Estonia is a symbol of the people's movement for the country's independence.

South Africa- Protea. The national flower of South Africa is named after the sea god. The plant has fantastic resistance to drought.

Jamaica— Iron tree or Tree of Life. Lignum Vitae or Wood of Life (Guaiacum Sanctum)

Japan- Chrysanthemum, Sakura. Chrysanthemum (Imperial), Cherry Blossom Sakura. The national flower of Japan is very revered by local residents and sakura flowers are to some extent even sacred to the Japanese.

Flowers are symbols of their countries

Plants that are symbols of countries: conclusion

These are the familiar and unusual national flowers of the countries of the world. Some flowers are their homeland and have a natural habitat, while others were brought and were so loved that they became associated with this country.

Like tulips in Holland, they were brought from Persia to Antwerp in the 16th century, and then received such a crazy spread and love from the population that it’s hard to believe that this is not their flower.
As we can see from this list, popular flowers: tulip, rose, orchid, carnation, iris, cornflower. Countries located close to each other with similar climatic conditions have similar plants.
Austria and Switzerland - alpine edelweiss, Argentina and Uruguay - erythrina (cockscomb), Bulgaria and Romania - rose and rose hips.

Now you know which flowers are the symbol of which country, as well as which national flower is the symbol of Russia, Ukraine, the Republic of Belarus, Ireland, Canada, Malta, Estonia, Tajikistan, Norway, Japan, South Africa and other countries.

The national flag of Italy, il Tricolore, as the Italians themselves lovingly call it, is one of the main symbols of the state, along with the anthem. The tricolor with vertical stripes of green, white and red appeared much earlier than the state itself.

The history of the creation of the Italian il Tricolore begins at the end of the 17th century. Two students - Luigi Zamboni and Giovanni Battista De Rolandis - fought for the independence of Bologna, at that time under the rule of the Holy See.

In the fall of 1794 they rebelled. According to some reports, Napoleon Bonaparte was behind the unrest, preparing an invasion of the Apennines.

As a distinctive sign, the rebels used green-white-red cockades, similar to the sign of revolutionary France. The blue color on them was replaced by green, representing hope. But the hopes of the rebels were not destined to come true then. The uprising was suppressed by the papal guards, and for the instigators the story ended sadly. Luigi Zamboni hanged himself in his cell, unable to withstand the brutal torture, and Giovanni Battista De Rolandis was publicly executed.

The memory of the martyrs of the revolution was immortalized by Napoleon. One of the first decrees in occupied Bologna, he ordered the reburying of the organizers of the riot on Mount Mantagnola. Napoleon completed the work of the revolutionaries: he abolished the power of the Holy See and recognized the free Cispadane Republic as a vassal of Bonapartist France. The banner of the student uprising became the official symbol of the new state. It had horizontal stripes and a coat of arms in the center. This is where the legs of the popular myth “grow” that the flag of Italy was invented personally by Bonaparte.

Royal Standard

In 1797, Napoleon united the Cispadane and Transpadane republics into the Cisalpine Republic, and the standard acquired its familiar appearance with vertical stripes of the same colors. The flag of France was taken as a basis.

Five years later, the Cisalpine Republic (Repubblica Cisalpina, 1797-1802) became the Italian Republic (Repubblica Italiana, 1802-1805), and its banner underwent major changes. The coloring remained unchanged, but the stripes were replaced by squares: against a scarlet background, a white rhombus with a green square inside.

In 1804, the vector of the country's development changed: Napoleon turned the republic into a kingdom. The changes were reflected in heraldry - the imperial eagle appeared on the state standard.

Another ten years passed, Napoleon was defeated, and the history of his empire ended. Italy again lost its unity, and with it the royal banner.

National symbol

Despite fragmentation, the green-white-red banner remained a sign of the national unification of the Risorgimento (il risorgimento - revival, renewal). Echoes of the Napoleonic banner and its colors continued to live in the heraldry of the Italian lands.

The Sardinian version of the tricolor - the blue-red coat of arms of Sardinia and a crown against a background of green, white and red stripes - became the state color for the entire Kingdom of Italy (1861-1946) precisely because the leader of the liberation movement against the Austrian occupation (Giuseppe Garibaldi) was from this region islands and went with like-minded people into battle under the flag of his native Sardinian kingdom.

The years of World War II were marked by the short-lived existence of the fascist Italian Republic in the north of the Apennine Peninsula.

Its symbol is the same tricolor, with a Roman eagle in the middle. With the end of the World War, the Italian flag lost its coat of arms and acquired a modern look, approved by the Constitution of 1947.

What do the colors mean?

The flag of Italy, according to the 1947 Constitution, has the following colors: “green”, “white”, “red”.

Until the beginning of the 21st century, no one thought about more accurately determining shades. But with the development of digital printing and computer design, this question has become urgent. Colors have acquired digital coding and precise descriptions. In official documents, the coloring of the flag according to the Pantone system is now described as follows: Scarlet Red, Fern Green, Bright White.

According to the generally accepted version, the meaning of the colors is as follows: green symbolizes hope, white is traditionally considered the color of faith, and red represents love. The Italians themselves ironically say that the coloring of their flag is simply a tribute to the national cuisine: red is tomatoes, white is cheese, and green is lettuce. In Russia, this interpretation of the symbol of the country that gave the world pizza and pasta is also very popular.

The tricolors of some countries are very similar to the Italian one. The flags of Mexico and Italy are often confused with each other. Their coloring is identical, but Mexico has a coat of arms in the center, which is not always used.

The coat of arms is not used on Mexico's naval banner, making it impossible for the Italian tricolor to become a universal national symbol, as is the case in France.

Less often, confusion arises with the tricolor of Ireland. The difference between the standards of the countries is in the color of the last stripe: red for Italy, orange for Ireland.

To distinguish them, it is enough to remember that red hair is very common in Ireland. The coloring is not the only difference: Ireland's tricolor is more square.

Another similar state symbol is that of Hungary.

The stripes of the same colors on the Hungarian standard are located horizontally, as on the Russian flag, the coloring is brighter, and the aspect ratio of the Hungarian tricolor is the same as that of Ireland (2:1).

Other countries whose flags are similar to Italy's include Cote d'Ivoire, India and Niger.

Few countries can boast of the same love for a national symbol as the inhabitants of the Apennines. National Flag Day (Festa del tricolore) is celebrated in Italy on January 7 and is of great importance for Italians. On this festive day, they decorate their houses with tricolors and wear clothes of the same colors.

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The southern European state, located in the very center of the Mediterranean, has the largest number of historical monuments. This attracts a lot of tourists who need to know the state symbols of a given country. The topic of the article is the coat of arms of Italy, as well as interesting points associated with its appearance.

History of creation

The birth of the official symbol of the Italian Republic was preceded by a long period of work over two years. In 1946, a competition began, organized by the Gasperi cabinet, which created a special commission headed by Ivanoe Bonomi. A number of conditions were put forward to the competitors:

mandatory inclusion in the design of a five-pointed star, which has been used in state symbols since 1890 and personified the defense of the nation;
ban on the use of symbols of political parties.

Everyone was allowed to participate, and the government promised 10 thousand liras to the authors of the best projects. Of the 800 sketches submitted, the commission selected five, whose authors were given a more specific task. For example, a crown-shaped tower was supposed to be in the center. The winner was Paolo Paschetto, a professor, who received an additional prize of 50 thousand lire.

The proposed coat of arms of Italy was placed in the exhibition center in 1947, but it did not receive 100% approval. Many people wanted to see a symbol of labor in the sketch. The commission was renewed and a second competition was announced, which was again won by Paschetto. The Constitutional Assembly approved the sketch in 1948, on January 31. In May, by decree of President de Nicola, it became the official symbol of the republic.

Description

Let's take a closer look at the coat of arms of Italy. What does each element mean? Let’s highlight four fundamental parts in the main photo:

Five-pointed star.
Gear wheel in the background.
Olive and oak branches.
Red ribbon with the inscription.

Each has a special meaning, which we will discuss below. Even in ancient times, the iconographic image of the country represented a five-pointed star. With her radiant radiance she personified the image of the state. The star has been present since 1890 on the kingdom's coat of arms, associated with the defense of the nation. Today it indicates membership in the Italian armed forces.

In the picture above we see a crown symbolizing the monarchy, although after the fascists came to power in 1922, all the reins of power were in the hands of the party leader, who appropriated the title Duce - leader. Having begun his political career in the ranks of the socialists, Mussolini, the son of a blacksmith, plunged the country into the “Black Twenty Years,” proving Nietzsche’s postulate that “everything is permitted” in the world. In the center of the coat of arms there is an ax and a bunch of rods. This idea dates back to ancient Rome and symbolizes the power held by officials. The Italians perceived the coat of arms as a call for national unity. And the ax unambiguously demonstrated what happens to those who encroach on this unity. In 1945, the Duce was executed.

Coat of arms of Rome

Speaking about the symbols of the state, it is interesting to take a closer look at the coats of arms of Italian cities, the main one of which is its capital. History of Rome, the oldest settlement supposedly founded in the 8th century. BC e., attracts travelers from all over the world. Its official symbol looks simple at first glance. This is an English shield that hides long-standing traditions and genuine British qualities: honor, dignity, nobility. The color red represents fire, fearlessness, and love. It is often associated with bloodshed in the struggle for independence.

What is the translation of the abbreviation SPQR? They contain the motto of Rome, implying the unity of popular and state power. Italians, who are inclined to see humor in everything, decipher it in their own way: “a peaceful pope - a peaceful kingdom.” The coat of arms of the capital looks like the emblem of some football club, which lacks the main attribute with which the divine origin of Rome is associated - the she-wolf who suckled Remus and Romulus.

Other cities

What did the coat of arms of Italy bring to the symbols of other localities? Let's consider for comparison the attributes of two more cities - Milan and Turin. Please note: all three have a jagged crown, symbolizing the walls and towers of Ancient Rome. All of them are made in the shape of a shield. On the symbol of Milan we see familiar olive and oak branches. The red cross on a white background represents the heroism of the Milanese, who were the first to erect the cross in Jerusalem during the First Crusade.

The crown on the coat of arms of Turin indicates that the city has been given the title of count. The special colors indicate the Swiss type of shield with the main symbol - the bull. It emphasizes the privileged character of the city.