Sala del Tricolore

[3] The room was enlarged in 1461 with the construction of the wing towards the modern via Farini and via Croce Bianca; this portion of the building also had an external loggia.

Mayor Luca Vecchi, the MEP president Andrea Russo, and other authorities opened the session to a full Sala del Tricolore.

[6] During the construction from 1773 to 1774, Giovanni Benassi, a court carpenter, always under the supervision of Bolognini, built a wooden model of the hall which lacked, compared to the modern version, the balconies.

[6] Shortly after the end of the construction, it was decided not to use it as an archive because it was thought the large quantity of documents could have caused a vast fire, with all the consequences of the case.

[6] With the invasion of Napoleon's troops, the Duke of Modena and Reggio Francesco III d'Este fled and the Reggian Republic was proclaimed (26 August 1796).

[6] At the same time the Civic Guard of the city of Reggio was constituted and this military formation, aided by a small group of French grenadiers, defeated a squad of 150 Austrian soldiers at Montechiarugolo on 4 October 1796.

[6] The victory was important — both from a political and symbolic point of view — that Napoleon made an official commendation to the Reggio soldiers who were the protagonists of the battle.

[10] Here, 110 delegates chaired by Carlo Facci approved the constitutional charter of the Cispadane Republic, including the territories of Bologna, Ferrara, Modena and Reggio Emilia.

[10] In subsequent meetings, which always took place in the "hall of the congress centumvirate" of Reggio, many decisions were decreed and formalized, including the choice of the emblem of the newly formed republic.

The Italian Jacobins would have favored the blue of the French flag, while the members of the papacy would have preferred the yellow of the Papal States' banner.

[21] The congress decision to adopt a green, white and red tricolour flag was then greeted by a jubilant atmosphere, such was the enthusiasm of the delegates, and by a peal of applause.