What is the official title of Italy’s national anthem, written by Goffredo Mameli?

Italy’s national anthem, written by Goffredo Mameli, is officially titled “Il Canto degli Italiani.”

The title translates as “The Song of the Italians,” while the anthem is also widely known by its opening words, “Fratelli d’Italia,” meaning “Brothers of Italy.” Mameli wrote the text in Genoa in 1847 during the Italian unification movement.

Michele Novaro composed the music shortly afterward. The song became strongly associated with the Risorgimento, the political and military movement that led to the unification of Italy. Its patriotic language calls Italians to unity and recalls earlier struggles against foreign rule.

Italy used the song provisionally after the Second World War and formally recognized it by constitutional law in 2017. “Fratelli d’Italia” is therefore a familiar name, but the official title is “Il Canto degli Italiani.”