Turin Province flag : white flag with a blue border and the
coat of arms in the middle (not officially approved). Pascal Vagnat, 28 July 1999
Currently, the Province of Turin uses two unofficial flags
both bearing the coat of arms adopted in 1930 (red (gules)
with a white (argent) cross and an azure lambel surmounted by the
Italian provincial crown) in the center, but with different
backgrounds. In the 1990s when in Italy local administrative
governments realized gonfalon was not enought for them, Turin
Province began to display a white flag bordered blue (and arms)
as the gonfalon device; this symbol is so widespreadly used, in
public ceremonies etc. to be considered commonly the flag of the
Province. Nevertheless above the main entrance of the Province
head building in Turin, three poles fly the flag of Italy in the
place of honor, the flag of the European Union and the flag of
the Province consisting of an entirely blue field (with the
arms).
It may be of interest to note that in reality this coat of arms,
with roots far into the past, is the symbol of the whole Piedmont
(with Turin chief town too) dating from 1424. At that time Duke
of Savoy, in order to emphasize the western Po Plain was under
his rule, a fact many neighbours had hard time accepting, granted
to the eldest son personal signs of authority: the title of
"Prince of Piedmont" and the arms consisting of the
ones of Savoy differenced by an azure label. This emblem
gradually was viewed as the symbol of Piedmont, from which in the
XIX century this dynasty will play major roles in the events
which led to the birth of the Italian state.
Nevertheless also, during the Kingdom of Italy (1861-1946) the
intermediate level of administration was only the Province,
Region having no form of self government, thus this symbol was
officially granted to Turin Province as in ancient times the name
"Piedmont" was associated with this smaller area.
Finally the Republic gave the Regions political and
administrative significance, Piedmont assuming responsibility
over some local affairs, so this historical coat of arms was
(re-)instituted by new Region as well and lives in two
territorial divisions today, but Piedmontese shield (1984) has a
blue border, like the flag (1995), and a squared shape. Rosario Francesco Raunisi, 16 September 2003
On the occasion of the XX Olympic Winter Games, the entirely
blue flag with the provincial coat of arms in the center that was
hoisted at the main building of the Province of Turin, had been
replaced with a flag of a white background bordered blue and the
arms in the center. So the Province of Turin has ceased to use
two different flag backgrounds, as reported previously. Rosario Francesco Raunisi, 21 February 2006
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