Italians are well-known for proudly displaying the tricolore - the nation's flag.
On March 17th, such displays of national pride are even more common, as it is in fact the country's 'birthday'.
Known in Italian as the Giornata dell'Unità Nazionale, Unity Day is not a public holiday, but it's a big deal to many Italians. So what's the date all about? Here's a quick historical primer.
The birth of Italy
Though Italy was the centre of the ancient Roman empire and is known for its treasures dating back millennia, as a country it's actually very young – younger than the US, in fact.
The Kingdom of Italy was officially founded on March 17th, 1861.
Before 1861, the peninsula was fragmented, split into rival states and regions which had changed hands, allegiances, and boundaries frequently over the centuries.
They included the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, the Duchy of Modena, the Papal States, the Kingdom of Sardinia, the Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia, and the Kingdom of the two Sicilies.
Italy's unification wasn't a single date, but a period of several decades during which multiple revolts, reforms, and wars took place. The unification or Risorgimento (literally 'resurgence') period is roughly defined as being between 1815 and 1870.
In the mid-1840s, things really got going, with a new pope on the scene and rising nationalism across the whole continent.
Meanwhile, Sardinia was emerging as a power thanks to its king, Vittorio Emanuele, who was gaining recognition due to a series of reforms and public works, and its prime minister, Count Camillo di Cavour, who built up strategic alliances across Europe.
Sometimes through political alliances, other times by sending in troops, Cavour succeeded in unifying the country and Italy was finally declared a nation-state on March 17th, 1861.
The first king
The first king of the Kingdom of Italy was Vittorio Emanuele II (you might recognise the name since most towns and cities have a street named after him).
There's often a March 17th piazza or street as well, and others named after other key players in the revolution: Count Cavour, Giuseppe Mazzini and Giuseppe Garibaldi, for example.
Vittorio Emanuele II reigned until his death in 1878. You can see his tomb at Rome's Pantheon today.
Capital cities
With its central location and connections to the ancient empire, it seems natural that Rome is the capital of Italy. But that wasn't always the case. The very first capital of Italy was in fact Turin.
Just four years later however, Florence took a turn at being capital city, before Rome was finally given the honour in 1871.
Why don't we get the day off?
On special occasions, including the 150th anniversary back in 2011, Italians have indeed been treated to a day off work in celebration of Unity Day. Usually that means forgoing one of the other public holidays, such as Armed Forces Day on November 4th.
Generally, Italy opts to mark the founding of the Republic on June 2nd rather than the unification of the country. On June 2nd, 1946, Italians voted in a constitutional referendum to abolish the monarchy.
Though March 17th isn't a public holiday, keep an eye out for the many displays of patriotism that mark the occasion – from Italian flags on display to celebratory marches and gatherings.
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