papacy preferred the yellow of the Papal States' banner. Regarding the white and red, there were no disputes. Finally, the discussion on the third colour focused on green, which was later approved as a compromise solution. The choice of green was most probably inspired by the tricolour green, white and red military flag of the Lombard Legion, the first Italian military department to equip itself, as a banner, with an Italian tricolour flag. The congress's decision to adopt a green, white and red tricolour flag was then also greeted by a jubilant atmosphere, enthusiasm of the delegates, and by bursts of applause. For the first time, the city of ducal states for centuries enemies, they identify themselves as one people and a common identity symbol: the tricolour flag. The historic session of the congress did not specify the characteristics of this flag with the determination of the tonality and proportion of the colours, and did not even specify their location on the banner. Also in the minutes of the meeting of Saturday 7 January 1797 read: Events subsequent to the adoption of the flag For the first time the Italian flag officially became the national flag of a sovereign state, disengaging itself from the local military and civic meaning. This adoption of the Italian flag assumed an important political value. On the basis of this event, the "centumvirate congress hall" of Reggio was later renamed "Sala del Tricolore". In the assembly of 21 January, which was instead convened in Modena, the adoption of the Tricolour was confirmed: The flag of the Cispadane Republic was in horizontal bands with the top red, the white in the centre and the green at the bottom. In the centre was also the emblem of the republic, while on the sides the letters "R" and "C" were shown, the initials of the two words that form the name of the "Repubblica Cispadana". The coat of arms of the Cispadane Republic contained a quiver with four arrows that symbolized the four cities of the Cispadan congress. The Italian flag was first displayed in public in Modena on February 12, 1797; to celebrate the event a procession was organized through the streets of the city, which went down in history with the name of "patriotic walk", with exponents of the civic guard and the army who solemnly honoured it. From this date, the Italian tricolour also spread