Italy celebrates the holiday: 70 years of 'Festa della Repubblica'
'Festa della Repubblica'
In 1948, the Italian government introduced the 'Festa della Repubblica,' Italy's national holiday, on June 2nd. So, this year, Italy is not only celebrating its national holiday on this day, but also the 70th anniversary of this special day...
Italy's National Holiday on June 2nd
June 2nd was introduced as a national holiday to remember the referendum held on June 2nd, 1946. Back then, most Italians voted for a republic and against keeping the monarchy as their form of government. The members of the House of Savoy then had to go into exile – and Italy became a republic. Here's a fun fact about Italian traditions: Between 1977 (a law from March 5, 1977) and 2000 (a law from November 22, 2000), the national holiday was celebrated on the first Sunday of June, but since then, it's been fixed on June 2nd again.
About Stars, Fliers, and Italy's Three Colors
Just like the national color 'Savoy Blue' or the 'Stella d’Italia' (which means 'Star of Italy' and is one of Italy's oldest national symbols), the 'Tricolore' – that's the national flag with its three vertical stripes in green, white, and red – and the 'Frecce Tricolori' aerobatic team are all official and unofficial state symbols of the Italian Republic. And of course, these symbols are celebrated with great flair, especially on the national holiday. Since 1948, a military parade has been held at the Imperial Fora in Rome to honor the Republic. During this, the Italian Air Force's aerobatic team, called the 'Frecce Tricolori' (which means 'Tricolor Arrows'), flies over the Fora. As they fly, they paint the three colors of the Italian flag across Rome's sky. Besides this parade, a laurel wreath is also laid on the Altar of the Fatherland in Rome on this day, honoring the unknown soldier. Also, on this day, the gates of the Quirinal Palace gardens – which are usually closed to the public and are the official residence of the President of the Italian Republic – are opened for visitors. Performances by musical groups from the Navy, Air Force, Army, Guardia di Finanza, Carabinieri, and Polizia di Stato complete the 'Festa della Repubblica'.
Nina's Tip: Tricolore, Tuscan Style
If you want to celebrate Italy's national holiday completely 'Tuscan style,' I've got a special Nina tip for you: For the green, grab one of the many excellent extra virgin olive oils from Chianti Classico. Just enjoy it with Pane Sciocco, the unsalted Tuscan white bread – perfetto! The red is – naturally – one of the many Chianti Classico wines or one of the region's other fantastic reds. The white is represented by the rare white wines from Chianti Classico – like the Biancolo or its big brother, Il Bianco, from the Gagliole winery... So, #NinaInChianti wishes you a wonderful, tricolored national holiday! And salute!