Changing of The Guard - Italy

Italy

On the occasions of the Festival of the Tricolour on January 7, and the Italian Republic Day on June 2, the Changing of the Guard at the Quirinal Palace is performed in its solemn form by the Corazzieri Regiment and by the band of the Carabinieri, with the guards wearing their ceremonial uniforms and riding horses.

Every other day the Changing of the Guard takes place at the same hour, 18:00 during the summer and 16:00 for the rest of the year, and involves the band only if the President is in the Palace. The incoming unit marches into the internal courtyard in front of the outgoing unit, which presents arms. Then the sentinels of the outgoing unit surrender their posts to the sentinels of the incoming unit, and then the incoming unit presents arms as the outgoing unit marches out.

Similar protocols are followed every hour by the honor guards stationed at the gates of the seats of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate, at the tomb of the unknown soldier in the Altar of the Homeland, and at the gates of the Quirinal Palace. In these cases a sub-officer leads the incoming unit in front of the standing guards, and leads the outgoing unit after they have surrendered their posts.

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