The present Doodle observes Italy’s 75th Republic Day, or Festa della Repubblica as it is known locally. On this day in 1946, Italians voted a in a referendum that formed the extraordinary nation into a republic.
Functions start with the laying of a laurel wreath on the Tomb of Unknown Soldier in the Altare della Patria (Altar of the Fatherland). Otherwise called the Vittoriano, this enormous white marble monument stands at the symbolic center of ancient Rome as a delegate of Italian unity and identity.
To express national pride, a giant Italian flag is mounted on the Roman Colosseum, the world’s largest surviving ancient amphitheater. The Italian flag is depicted in the present Doodle and features three vertical stripes of red, white, and green, earning its nickname as the tricolore.
Buona Festa della Repubblica, Italia!
