I love old walls. I’ve explored walled cities like Lucca and, outside of Italy, I’ve walked the whole 84 miles of England’s Hadrian’s Wall. So I was intrigued to discover that Verona’s status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site rested partly upon its walls and fortifications. I had to go and look for myself, but …
Making Sense Of Verona’s Walls And Fortifications Read More »
Bologna’s arcades (also known as porticos) are a feature of the city. These covered walkways, often dating from the Middle Ages, provided protection from the extremes of weather, whether sun, wind or rain. The most famous is the Portico di San Luca, which is possibly the longest arcade in the world. Roofed Arcade Of The …
The Portico Di San Luca, Bologna: The Longest Arcade In The World? Read More »
I always enjoy walking around old walled towns, like Verona. However the walls of Lucca, a small Tuscan town just a half hour train ride from Pisa were an unexpected pleasure. I found a wide and completely intact wall with trees and parkland, providing an amenity for the city’s inhabitants. Visitors from the north of …
The Byzantine mosaics of Ravenna, in northern Italy, are a major tourist attraction. Spread across eight buildings from the early Christian period, these magnificent artworks are now part of one of Emilia-Romagna’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Early Christianity In Ravenna Ravenna played a crucial part in western civilisation during the 5th and 6th centuries, first …