Coat of arms of Italy - Free Vector CDR

Waisai, 999-logo.blogspot.com - The emblem of Italy (Italian: emblema della Repubblica Italiana) was formally adopted by the newly formed Italian Republic on 5 May 1948. Although often referred to as a coat of arms (or stemma in Italian), it is technically an emblem as it was not designed to conform to traditional heraldic rules. The emblem is in "socialist heraldry" style similar to those of the Soviet republics and comprises a white five-pointed star, with a thin red border, superimposed upon a five-spoked cogwheel, standing between an olive branch to the sinister side and an oak branch to the dexter side; the branches are in turn bound together by a red ribbon with the inscription REPVBBLICA ITALIANA. The emblem is used extensively by the Italian government. The star at the center is the symbol known as Star of Italy, while the cog wheel refers to the citation of "labour" as funding Republican value in Article 1 of the Italian Constitution.

The armorial bearings of the House of Savoy, blazoned gules a cross argent, were previously in use by the former Kingdom of Italy; the supporters, on either side a lion rampant Or, were replaced with fasci littori (literally bundles of the lictors) during the fascist era.