The combined length of Bolognas porticos, the historic arcades, called "I Portici", is almost 40 kilometers. Below the roofed arcades one can stroll through the city center enjoy the the displays of shops or sit comfortably in front of small cafés and pubs. In the summer, they provide shade, in the winter they protect walkers from rain.
The portici were created in different eras and therefore differ greatly in their particular design. From medieval wooden struts to massive stone columns and elaborate ceiling frescoes, one can experience a colorful mix of building materials and styles.
Twelve interconnected archways have been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site (www.comune.bologna.it/portici-patrimonio-mondiale/). Anyone walking there should not forget to look up, as some of the vaulted ceilings are richly decorated.
Strada Maggiore
One of the longest and most varied promenades under arcades in the city center is the Strada Maggiore, which follows the course of the ancient Roman Via Emilia into the city center. From the former city gate Porta Maggiore in the southeast, one can walk through several eras of Italian architecture in a very short space of time.
The quadriportico which encloses the Chiesa Santa Maria dei Servi was built at the end of the 14th century and is unusual because of its sheer size. A popular Christmas market takes place here every December.
One of the oldest Romanesque-Gothic wooden arcades from the 13th-14th century can be found at the Corte Isolani passage. Walking through the passage one lands on the Pizza Santo Stefano with elegant arcades stemming from the Renaissance. It is worth staying a while and having a closer look around or sit in one of the cafés, as the square is one of the most beautiful in Bologna.
The Strada Maggiore leads to the city centre with the landmark of the Due Torri. The two tall towers are currently being extensively restored as they are in danger of collapsing due to subsidence.
From there one can turn northeast into Via Zamboni, which leads to the university district. Here, too, you walk through portcos in various different styles, some of which form the entrances to historical palaces.
The Palazzo Malvezzi de' Medici in Piazza Rossini dates from the 16th century and was modified in the 18th century by the Marquis Giuseppe Maria Malvezzi de' Medici. Today it is the seat of the administration of the Metropolitan City of Bologna (Città metropolitana di Bologna).
On the ground floor of the late Renaissance Palazzo Magnani there is a picture gallery which can be visited upon request. Directly opposite, the arcades of the church of San Giacomo Maggiore, date from 1477-1479. They look much more delicate and resemble Corinthian columns.
These arcades open up into Piazza Verdi, the favorite meeting place of the cities's students. Past the Teatro Communale and the main building of the university, Palazzo Poggi, with several museums, Via Zamboni leads to the former city gate Porta Donato.
If you would like to see an example of more modern arcades from the 19th and 20th centuries, you can find them around Piazza Cavour, south of the centre. The porches of the renowned Banca Italia are decorated with gilded frescoes depicting important figures of Bolognese history, such as the scientist Marcello Malphighi (1628-1694).
The arcades owe their creation to a problem that is still rampant today - namely the inner-city housing shortage! Bologna, which boasts the oldest university in Western Europe with the Archiginnasio dating back to 1088, experienced a constant influx of scholars and students who found it difficult to find a place to stay.
In order to create more living space, homeowners built additions to the existing houses - preferably on the upper floors, because the footpaths belonged to the city and had to be usable for all citizens. From a structural point of view, this meant that the added rooms had to be supported somehow from below. In the Middle Ages, diagonal wooden struts were used for this purpose, and later stone columns.
As long as the space under the struts and columns remained usable, these additions were tolerated. They also proved to be practical weather protection for craftsmen and businessmen who ran workshops and shops under there. Attempts were made to regulate the building of porticos, but they were largely unsuccessful. People continued to build them as they were useful and affordable; there was no comprehensive bureaucracy that enforced bans or even had buildings demolished.
Today, urban life in Bologna would be hardly conceivable without the porticos. Each year, a festival celebrates the Bologna porticos with music, theatre, exhibitions and other events.
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