L'Italo-Americano

L'Italo-Americano THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2014 www.italoamericano.com 10 JANE HUSON Leave the umbrellas and sun- hats at home – Bologna's porti- cos have got you covered. In a place that averages 14 rainy days per month in the winter and fre- quently reaches 90 degrees Fahrenheit under the scorching hot sun in the summer, porticos provide much needed shelter for pedestrians. Twenty-four miles of porticos frame the city's unique architec- ture. Thes e popular built-in umbrellas and s hade s hields have a rich history dating back centuries. Porticos were constructed in the Middle Ages in response to urban migration and the influx of students at the University of Bologna, founded in 1088. They originated from the sporto, a wooden structure used to extend upper floor living spaces. As sportos widened, they required support from wooden beams and formed porticos. While many cities banned porticos becaus e of s treet obstruction, Bologna's council incorporated them into city plan- ning. A 1288 statute required portico areas to be public spaces with a minimum height of 7 feet to allow horse riders passage. The original porticos can be found at Isolani House (Strada Maggiore 19), Palazzo Grassi (Via Marsala 12), and Piazza della Mercanzia. Palazzo Grassi and Casa Isolani exemplify the region's rare medieval urban configuration. Casa Isolani fea- tures 30-foot oak beams support- ing the third floor of the building while the palace's porticos form the archetypal "crutch" shape of the time. The Palazzo at Piazza della M ercanzia has conducted Bologna's business and trading affairs s ince 1384. M ade of Istrian stone and brick, the palaz- zo's highlights include deep Gothic arches holding a marble balcony. Local tradition claims that when the "Lucardina" bell tolled, bans and sentences were announced from this marble bal- cony above the Piazza. In addition to exquis ite medieval architecture, Bologna hosts the world's longest portico – Portico di San Luca. The porti- co starts outside the city center walls next to Porta Saragozza at the Museum of the Madonna di San Luca, and it leads to the San Luca Church atop the hilly "Monte della Guardia". Built between 1674 and 1739 for the annual procession of car- rying the "Madonna with Child" painting around the city, the Portico di San Luca has become a prominent pilgrimage destina- tion. The walls are decorated with plaques dedicated to citi- zens who contributed to its mak- ing. M any of thes e citizens would climb the hill on their knees to pray as a sign of devo- tion. Today tourists have traded blistery knees for comfortable crocs . P eople make the trek through the portico by walking, jogging or biking. Those who have indulged in a little too much gelato often relax and take the touris t train to the top. Motorcycle races also occur annually on the street along the San Luca Walkway. In the culinary capital of Emilia-Romagna, porticos offer shade, shelter, and a vast history. But take heed – if you're enjoy- ing a summer stroll along the rugged, portico-scarce Via delle Moline, bring a little sunhat or an umbrella. Other than that, hats off to Bologna for maintain- ing these architectural gems! Hats Off to Bologna's Porticos Rainy or snowy, sunny or windy days: with its almost 40 kilometres of porticos Bologna is a unique city in the world The origin of porticos is the sporto, a protruding wooden structure which was usu- ally built in order to extend the inner living space of the upper floors

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