This Is Italy
June 2 is the Feast of the Republic in Italy. A kind of King's Day, but then eh… without a king. The highlight in Rome is without a doubt the performance of the Frecce Tricolori, the demonstration team of the Italian Air Force.
On June 2, there is a grand military parade in the capital Rome. Solemn ceremonies can also be admired everywhere. But the absolute highlight of the party is the tricolor arrows of the Arrows.
Using their genuine Italian fighter jets, the demo team will fly low over the Eternal City on June 2 to leave a smoky tricolor behind.
Quite a spectacle from the ground, but certainly also from the air. The video below was shot aboard one of the Aermacchi jets. The footage shows the aerial acrobats crossing Rome in just 30 seconds. Don't blink, otherwise all the beauty will be over already!
Italy, a young republic
Italy has not long been one country and even less country a republic. After Italy was a kingdom for 85 years, in 1946 the inhabitants opted for the form of government of a republic. The reason was that the king Victor Emmanuel III had sided with Mussolini. He resigned just before the referendum in favor of his son Umberto II, but that could not save the Italian monarchy.
Simultaneously with the transition from monarchy to republic, the male descendants of the House of Savoy, the Italian Royal House, were expelled from Italy. Only in 2002 were they welcome to set foot on Italian soil again.
In order to give the former Royal Family access to Italy again, the constitution introduced in 1948 was amended again. The completely new constitution after the Second World War was written by all groups in society and was intended to prevent fascists from ever seizing power again. You can read here why the constitution is such an acclaimed document.
National holiday
The second of June is actually Italy's only real national holiday. You can compare this day with the 14th of July in France and independence Day in America. In addition to the Feast of the Republic, Liberation Day on April 25 and the Labor Day on May 1 important days in the Italian holiday calendar.
On June 2th you will of course also see the Italian tricolor fluttering proudly. In addition, you can just anywhere the national anthem Brothers of Italy (also known as Il canto degli Italiani, the Song of the Italians). As with King's Day in the Netherlands, there are also performances and concerts everywhere in Italy on June 2.
The Italian national anthem
The national anthem of Italy was written by Goffredo Mameli, in the middle of the 19th century. At that time it was restless in Italy and it was quite difficult to maintain unity. You can read that in the lyrics of the song.
These are the first lines translated into Dutch:
Brothers of Italy,
Italy has risen.
With the helmet of Scipio
headdressed.
Where is the victory?
Let her bow to Italy,
for as a slave of Rome
she was created by God.
Before Italy became a republic, the anniversary of the Albertino Statute National Day on the first Sunday in June. This statute was the constitution granted by Charles Albert of Sardinia to the Kingdom of Sardinia in Italy on March 4, 1848.
Are you traveling to Italy in June? Then consider it Celebrate the Republic Day!
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