What are the cities that have been capital of Italy over time

Before unification, they followed each other in the Italian peninsula numerous states and, consequently, too numerous capital. However, from the proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy in 1861, alone three cities they enjoyed capital status:

• Turinwhich was already the capital of the Kingdom of Sardinia, from 1861 to 1865;
• Florencechosen after an agreement with the France of Napoleon III, from 1865 to 1871;
• Romewhich became the capital in 1871 and since then always confirmed in this role.

In addition, between September 1943 and June 1944, when Rome was occupied by the Nazis, the government and the court moved for a few months First in Brindisi and then in Salernowho assumed, in fact, the role of capital.

Turin

The first capital of Italy was Turin And the reason is simple: it was the Capital of the Kingdom of Sardinia – which included Piedmont, Liguria, the Aosta Valley, Sardinia and the locations sold in 1861 to France, that is Nice and Savoy – that is, of the pre -unification state that led the process of Italian unification. In 1861, when unity was built, the kingdom of Italy assumed the laws, the economic system and, precisely, the capital of the Kingdom of Sardinia.

When Turin was capital, the headquarters of the Chamber of Deputies it was a Carignano Palace (which today houses the Museum of the Risorgimento) and that of the Senate a Palazzo Madama (not to be confused with the homonymous palace of Rome). The monarchy resided instead in Royal Palacelocated in Piazza Castello.

However, since the birth of the kingdom, the ruling class and part of the public opinion were aware that the capital of Italy He could only be Rome, For History and symbolic charge of which the eternal city endowed. On March 27, 1861, Parliament gathered in Turin, symbolically proclaimed that Rome was the capital of the Kingdom of Italy. The city, however, still belonged to the Papal Statesprotected by Napoleon III’s empire, and proclamation had no practical effects.

Florence

The capital was transferred to Florence In 1865 following the September agreementstipulated the previous year between the Kingdom of Italy and the France of Napoleon III. The agreement provided that the Empire of France from withdrawing its troops from the Papal States and that the Kingdom of Italy undertook to respect its territorial integrity, an additional protocol established that the Italian capital would be transferred to a city chosen by the king, because Turin was too geographically secluded; The transfer also served to give France the impression that the Kingdom of Italy had definitively renounced to annex Rome. When the news of the signature of the Convention spread, The population of Turin rosebut the protest was repressed in the blood by the army, who killed 62 people.

The September agreement entered into force and, after having examined the opportunity to transfer the capital to Naplesthe government and the monarchy opt for Florencewhich officially assumed the capital function on February 3, 1865. The king settled at Palazzo Pittithe room found its headquarters a Vecchio Palace (today the seat of the Municipality), the Senate was installed at Palazzo degli Uffizithe government a Palazzo Medici Riccardi.

The transfer of the capital involved the start of a vast program of building renewal To make Florence suitable for the role that had been assigned to it: the walls were demolished, the Circonvallazione avenues Around the urban center, the Piazzale Michelangelo And various other renovation works were implemented.

Rome

On September 20, 1870, two weeks after the collapse of the Napoleon III empire, the Italian army entered Rome through the Breccia di Porta Piathe city was annexed to the kingdom of Italy and in February of the following year it officially became the capital. The king settled at Quirinale palacewho had been the residence of the Popes and, since 1946, became The home of the President of the Republic. The Chamber of Deputies was placed a Montecitorio Palace and the Senate a Palazzo Madamawhere they are still. The Ministry of the Interior and the Presidency of the Board instead found headquarters a Palazzo Braschi (today they are placed respectively at Palazzo del Viminale and Palazzo Chigi).

Also in Rome the transfer of the capital involved the start of a vast building programwhich redesigned the face of the city. From 1871, moreover, the capital of Italy has always remained in the Eternal City. In 1948 the Constitution of the Republic, in article 114, confirmed it in this role and in 2010 the Municipality of Rome officially assumed the name of “Roma capital” Brindisi and Salerno.

Brindisi and Salerno

On September 8, 1943, after the proclamation of the armistice with the Anglo -American, the king and the government they fled from Romein order not to be captured by the Nazis, and moved to Brindisi, already freed by the Anglo -American. The king took accommodation at Swabian castle And the city in fact became the provisional capital of the Kingdom of Italy. On February 11, 1944, when Rome was still occupied, the Court and the Government yes they moved to Salernochosen because he was closer to the front line and because he returned among the cities returned under the control of the Italian government and not subjected to the allied military government, as was, among others, Naples. The king took accommodation in the municipality of Ravello, on the Amalfi Coast, in the Episcopio Villawhile the Council of Ministers met at Palazzo di Cittàcurrent seat of the Municipality of Salerno.

In the new “capital”, an important political event took place: the formation of Badoglio II governmentof which the Communist Party was also part, who agreed to be part of a monarchical executive in the name of the common fight against the Nazi -fascists: the event is known as turning point of Salerno. In Salerno he also held the first meeting on Bonomi governmentformed on June 18, 1944. Immediately after the capital he returned to Rome, which had been freed by the Anglo -American on June 4th. Today a square in Salerno is called “Salerno Capital“, In memory of the events of 1944. However Salerno, as Brindisi, was never officially proclaimed the capital of Italy.