Rome marks national holiday with military parade.

Italy celebrates Festa della Repubblica, Italy's Republic Day, with a national public holiday on Friday 2 June 2023.

This year marks the 77th edition of the annual event which commemorates the day in 1946 when Italians voted in favour of a republic and against the monarchy which had been discredited during world war two.

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The national event will see President Sergio Mattarella lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Rome's Vittoriano monument in Piazza Venezia at 09.15 on the morning of 2 June.

After the president lays the wreath, one of the most popular events associated with Festa della Repubblica in Rome takes place: a spectacular aeronautical display by the Frecce Tricolori jets flying in formation over the city centre, emitting plumes with the red, white and green colours of the Italian flag.

This is followed by a major military parade along Via dei Fori Imperiali, against the backdrop of the Colosseum, comprising thousands of members of Italy’s army, navy and police forces.

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The event will result in numerous street closures and traffic restrictions in the centre.

Festa della Repubblica falls on a Friday in 2023, resulting in a long weekend, with all of Italy's public offices and schools, and many businesses, closed for the national holiday on 2 June.