The porticoes of Bologna represent an important architectural and cultural heritage for the city and are a symbol of it together with the numerous towers. There is no other city in the world that has as many porticoes as Bologna: all together the porticoes measure almost 40 kilometers in length in the historic center alone, which reach 62 km if you count those outside the city centre.

Due to their artistic-cultural relevance, from 2021 a part of the Bolognese porticoes is a UNESCO world heritage cultural asset.

The longest portico in the world is that of San Luca, which measures 3,796 meters and consists of 666 arches: starting from the Arco Bonaccorsi at Porta Saragozza it leads to the top of Colle della Guardia, where the famous Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca rises . The place is a destination for pilgrims to venerate the icon of the Virgin and Child.

The portico was built between 1674 and 1721 with the contribution of the entire citizenry. The project by Camillo Saccenti and Gian Giacomo Monti was completed by Carlo Francesco Dotti, who also designed the Arco del Meloncello.[13] Along the portico you can admire the first arch built by the architect Monti, the statues of the Fat Madonna and the Child by Andrea Ferreri and fifteen small chapels in which the mysteries of the Rosar are painted

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