Sala del Tricolore

The Sala del Tricolore, designed and built in 1774 by the Bolognese engineer Ludovico Bolognini to serve as the municipal archives, is a place that symbolises Reggio Emilia’s national history and civic identity, having become famous for the event that shaped its destiny.

On 7 January 1797, in fact, representatives of the free cities of Reggio, Modena, Bologna and Ferrara gathered here to proclaim the Cispadane Republic and adopt a new flag: the green, white and red tricolour, then arranged in horizontal stripes.
That symbol, chosen in this hall, would become the Italian national flag in 1848.

Today, the Hall serves as the seat of the City Council and is one of the most popular venues for civil weddings, as well as hosting conferences, ceremonies and cultural events.

Inside, the Hall houses the city’s precious banner, decorated with a gold medallion: on one side it depicts the Madonna della Ghiara together with Saints Prospero, Chrysanthus and Daria; on the other, it displays the coat of arms of the Municipality.
The latter features a red cross on a white field and the letters S.P.Q.R., an acronym for Senatus PopulusQue Regiensis (“The Senate and People of Reggio”), surmounted by a mural crown with five towers and accompanied by the motto “Pace Belloque Fidelis”, which recalls the legacy of ancient Rome and bears witness to the indissoluble bond between institutions and citizens.

Visiting the Sala del Tricolore therefore means entering the place where the history of our country began.