Bologna's Porticoes Inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage Site

The UNESCO World Heritage Committee, meeting in Fuzhou, China, has inscribed the Porticoes of Bologna on the World Heritage List. This makes Bologna's porticoes the 58th Italian site to receive the designation. The recognition covers 12 selected sections of the city's 62 kilometers of porticoes, including those in Piazza Santo Stefano, Via Galliera, Via Manzoni, Via Zamboni, the Baraccano, the Certosa, Via Farini, the Barca district, Piazza Cavour, Strada Maggiore, the portico of San Luca, and the portico of the MAMbo Museum. The porticoes were first built independently in the early Middle Ages and were regulated from 1288 onward. Italian Culture Minister Dario Franceschini praised the result as "extraordinary" and a product of cultural diplomacy. Bologna Mayor Virginio Merola thanked the Ministry of Culture, Minister Franceschini, Undersecretary Lucia Borgonzoni, and Ambassador to UNESCO Massimo Riccardo. The candidacy was supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Permanent Representation of Italy to UNESCO. This is the third Italian site recognized in 2021, following Padua's Urbs Picta and Montecatini Terme.