Naval Academy and oath of the students

Born on the initiative of Admiral Benedetto Brin, the Naval Academy of Livorno is today the training institute of the officers of the Italian Navy. Opened in 1881, the school is housed in the same building once occupied by the Lazzaretto di San Jacopo, which housed for 40 days the crews of the ships returning from east.
Today the academy is a university venue offering training courses for students and advanced training for officers. The entire complex covers an area of about 215,000 square meters. The main building, on three floors, is horseshoe-shaped with a large inner square where ceremonies and exercises take place. There are also classrooms, dormitories, specialty lessons, libraries, auditoriums, swimming pools and gyms.
Every year students of the Naval Academy are required to swear allegiance to the Italian Republic in front of the state’s highest civilian and military authorities. With this ceremony the students officially join the Navy and therefore the Italian Army.
The event is particularly exciting for both the audience and the Academy students. After pronouncing the formula of the oath, the ceremony ends with the shouting “Lo Giuro” (I Swear).