Acrylic Fridge Magnet showing Coat of Arms of Italy

The emblem of Italy can be seen on the acrylic fridge magnet above. Italy's emblem is also known as the Coat of Arms of Italy. It consists of a five-pointed star with a red boundary placed on a cogwheel that is resting between an oak branch and an olive branch; the branches are tied together with a bright red ribbon with REPVBBLICA ITALIANA inscribed on it. This emblem is used by the Government of Italy and all the government officials there.

Competitions to Decide the Emblem of Italy

Government officials in Italy used several other emblems before this one. In October 1946, Alcide de Gasperi took the decision of changing the emblem of Italy and adopting a new one. In order to create a unique emblem of Italy, a competition was held in which participants had to create emblems that were inspired by the earth. Five participants were declared as winners of the first round and had to create another design that displayed flora and foliage of Italy. Finally, a design impressed the judges and it became Italy's official emblem. This design was created by Paolo Paschetto who taught at the Institute of Fine Arts in Rome from 1914 until 1948 but unfortunately this design was not approved by the public and it isn't the one displayed on the magnet above.

Another Competition to Select Italy's Official Emblem

When the public disapproved of the emblem created by Paolo Paschetto, another competition was held for selecting Italy's emblem. Many people participated in it and once again, victory fell in the hands of Paolo Paschetto. This time his design received the public's approval and was also appreciated by the Constituent Assembly; it was officially adopted in May 1948.