Italy National Anthem — Il Canto degli Italiani
"Il Canto degli Italiani" — also known as the "Inno di Mameli" or "Fratelli d'Italia" — is the national anthem of Italy. Written by the young poet Goffredo Mameli in 1847 and set to music by Michele Novaro, it was born of the Risorgimento, the movement for Italian unification. Adopted provisionally in 1946 and made official by law in 2017, it calls the Italian people, newly "awoken", to unite and be ready to fight for their nation. This page gathers the anthem's Italian lyrics, English translation, meaning and history.
Il Canto degli Italiani Italian Lyrics
Original (Italian) version
Fratelli d'Italia,l'Italia s'è desta,
dell'elmo di Scipio
s'è cinta la testa.
Dov'è la Vittoria?
Le porga la chioma,
ché schiava di Roma
Iddio la creò.
Stringiamci a coorte,
siam pronti alla morte.
Siam pronti alla morte,
l'Italia chiamò. Sì!
English Translation version
Brothers of Italy,Italy has awoken,
with Scipio's helmet
bound upon her head.
Where is Victory?
Let her bow down,
for God created her
as a handmaid of Rome.
Let us close ranks,
we are ready to die.
We are ready to die,
Italy has called. Yes!
Public domain — lyrics by Goffredo Mameli, music by Michele Novaro (1847).
Lyrics licensed via Public Domain.
Song Details
- Singer
- Italy
- Lyricist
- Goffredo Mameli
- Music
- Michele Novaro
- Genre
- National Anthem
- Released
- Oct 12, 1946
- Language
- Italian
- Views
- 16
💭 Meaning of "Il Canto degli Italiani" Song Lyrics
The anthem is a Risorgimento rallying song. Its opening — "Fratelli d'Italia, l'Italia s'è desta" ("Brothers of Italy, Italy has awoken") — pictures a fragmented nation coming to life and donning the helmet of Scipio, the Roman general, as a symbol of reclaimed glory.
Rich with references to Rome and to Victory, it urges Italians to "close ranks" and be "ready to die" for a united Italy. Written when Italy was still divided into many states, it is above all a call to unity and self-sacrifice for nationhood.
🎬 Behind the song: how "Il Canto degli Italiani" was made
Goffredo Mameli wrote the words in Genoa in 1847, aged just twenty; Michele Novaro composed the music soon after. Mameli died two years later fighting for the Roman Republic. The song became hugely popular during unification, and though used as the anthem from 1946, it only became official by law in December 2017.
🌍 "Il Canto degli Italiani" — Cultural impact & legacy
"Fratelli d'Italia" is inseparable from the story of Italian unification and its young, idealistic author. Sung at state occasions and roared before Italy's football matches, its opening line has become a shorthand for Italian identity itself.
📖 What is "Il Canto degli Italiani Song Lyrics" about?
"Il Canto degli Italiani" is the national anthem of Italy, widely known as "Fratelli d'Italia" after its opening words. The lyrics were written by Goffredo Mameli in 1847, set to music by Michele Novaro — a classic of the world's national anthems.
It served as Italy's anthem from 1946 and was formally confirmed by law in 2017. As a mid-19th-century work, it is in the public domain.
⭐ Behind the song trivia
- It is popularly called "Fratelli d'Italia" ("Brothers of Italy") after its opening line.
- The words were written by Goffredo Mameli in 1847, set to music by Michele Novaro.
- Mameli died at just 21, fighting for the short-lived Roman Republic in 1849.
- It was inspired in part by France's "La Marseillaise".
- Used as the anthem from 1946, it was only made official by Italian law in December 2017.
- Its lyrics reference ancient Rome (Scipio's helmet) and the medieval Battle of Legnano as symbols of Italian defiance.
❓ Il Canto degli Italiani — Frequently asked questions
What is the national anthem of Italy?
What does "Fratelli d'Italia" mean?
Who wrote the Italian national anthem?
When did it become Italy's official anthem?
Who was Goffredo Mameli?
Why does the anthem mention Scipio?
👥 Credits
| Vocals | Italy |
|---|---|
| Lyricist | Goffredo Mameli |
| Music Director | Michele Novaro |
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