Tricolour Roundabout

Rotonda Tricolore

At the western entrance to Reggio Emilia, along Via Emilia in Pieve Modolena, stands the sculpture Tricolour Roundabout, a work by the renowned Reggio Emilia–born artist Marco Gerra (1925–2000).
Placed at the center of a roundabout, the piece celebrates the birthplace of the Italian tricolour, welcoming visitors with a symbolic message of unity and national identity.
Made of aluminum sheet metal and weighing nearly two tons, the sculpture reaches a height of 5 meters (7 meters including the metal support) and a width of 4.5 meters.
The composition originated from a wooden model created in the 1990s, later reinterpreted with the colors of the Italian flag: green, white, and red.
On the lower white band appears the Latin phrase: In civitatem italici genti vexilli aditus (entrance to the city of the banner of the Italian people), a symbolic invitation celebrating the bond between the city and the Tricolour.
The work consists of geometric shapes layered across three levels, while the roundabout itself is designed as three concentric spherical sectors, symbolizing the Italian people converging around the values represented by the Tricolour.
These sectors rise from a permeable gravel surface, with grassy embankments and sloped sides for safety, while the outer paving allows for easy maintenance.
The entire area is equipped with an irrigation system to preserve the greenery and enhance the sculpture’s visual impact.

The Tricolour Roundabout is not just a piece of public art, but a true symbolic landmark of the city, combining aesthetics, memory, and national identity, and welcoming visitors with a clear and evocative message.