A Roof Over My Head

After starting our day by slurping down a couple of those beautiful persimmons we bought yesterday, we walked out the door with no fixed destination in mind. Sometimes, you just gotta wing it.

Bologna is famous for it's porticoes, and, as we wandered into the center of the old town, we passed through an endless array of them. Some are fairly plain, some are relics from years gone by, some are adorned with ancient frescoes, and others are decorated with intricate plaster work.

The first evidence of Bolognese porticoes goes back to 1041 AD and is attributed to a DIY homeowner wanting to increase the floorspace of his home by building an addition on the second floor that extended over the sidewalk. In order to prevent the floor from collapsing, columns were added, and the portico was born.

Bologna is home to the world's oldest university (1088 AD), and, with the influx of students and faculty to the learning establishment, the municipality sent out a notice that all new construction had to be outfitted with a portico in order to provide additional living space for the new citizens.

As a result, in the old town alone, 38 kilometers of sidewalk are covered by porticoes. If you include those outside the old city walls, that number goes up to 53 kilometers, and they have been granted Unesco World Heritage Site status.

Thankfully, for the most part, the sidewalks are in good condition, so while you're distracted by the beauty overhead, there's little chance you'll trip over a crack in your path.Read more