Sala del Tricolore

The Sala del Tricolore (Italian for "Room of the Tricolor"), formerly the Patriotic Hall, is an historical hall that currently serves as the council chamber of the comune of Reggio Emilia, northern Italy. It was designed by the architect Lodovico Bolognini as the archive of the ducal family of Este. In the Sala del Tricolore, on 7 January 1797, the flag of Italy (also known as "the Tricolor") was born, hence the name of the hall. Adjacent to the room is the Tricolour Flag Museum, whose collection is made up of relics related to the Italian flag. Description The palace The Sala del Tricolore is located within the town hall of Reggio Emilia. The palace was built between 1414 and 1417, and began use as a meeting room of the municipal council of Reggio Emilia in 1434. 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. In the following years, the building was enlarged again. In 1583, Prospero Pacchioni designed and carried out his complete renovation. The building's facade was built in 1774 from a design by Ludovico Bolognini. The hall is located in Piazza Prampolini, near the Reggio Emilia Cathedral. The façade is characterized by the presence of a large portico with three arches which are supported by coupled pillars. Just under the eaves of the main facade is the coat of arms of the municipality of Reggio Emilia. Some halls of the building are decorated with frescoes made in the 18th century and are enriched by paintings dating back to the 19th century.