ARCHES EVERYWHERE

Arches are everywhere in Bologna, and not just in the porticoes and churches. They are frequently incorporated into the structure of the buildings, perhaps as a means to relate to the streets and passage ways, especially in the old city. Bologna. like so many ancient cities was once surrounded by a massive stone wall (to keep the riff-raff out of course.) with large gates located on the eastern and western ends of the city. Remnants of the gates still stand as markers to entrance into the cities center.

Bologna is a modern city, with a sophisticated traffic patterns and buses throughout the old central city, but many of the old streets (Via) remain and the closer one gets to the center the denser the city becomes with its network of old narrow streets and architecture. It is here that the arches are seen...spanning streets and connecting buildings, usually on a scale friendly to people. As a result one is often “looking through” into something, a sequestered court yard, an entrance to a recessed building, another street, or simply to the street ahead.









My intent is to post daily, but I am having problems with and inconsistent internet connection, so if I miss one or two days without explanation...you'll know why.