In the shade of the porticoes - 8th section: Certosa

The Portico of the Certosa links the city to the Monumental Cemetery and the Renato Dall'Ara stadium, a route that embraces history and sport, the sacred and everyday life.

The eighth UNESCO section that we explore in Bologna is the Portico of the Certosa, which takes its name from the Monumental Cemetery

Built in the 19th century, the Portico of the Certosa was designed to offer a covered walkway for those visiting the Certosa Monumental Cemetery, an ancient Carthusian monastery founded in 1334 and converted into a cemetery in 1801. The portico was designed according to the Napoleonic edict of Saint-Cloud, which decreed that the dead be buried outside the city walls. It was built on the model of the ancient Roman sepulchral roads, but with the addition of the typical Bologna "covering".

The Portico of the Certosa also runs along one side of the Renato Dall'Ara stadium, home of Bologna F.C.'s much-followed matches and many other events. The facility also has a six-lane running track, a basketball court and one Olympic and several standard size swimming pools.

At an architectural level, the Portico of the Certosa is characterised by an austere simplicity that harmonises well with the solemn mood of the place. The arches, supported by brick columns, create a straight and majestic walkway that culminates with the entrance to the Certosa. In fact, the porticoes of the historic part of the Monumental Cemetery are also included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site: visiting them means you also get to admire the many open-air works of art, including sculptures, frescoes and funerary monuments.

Today, the Portico della Certosa is an intersection frequented by people visiting the Certosa to pay tribute to their loved ones, and also by the many visitors to the stadium who enliven the arches on match days, during concerts or so as to practice sports themselves. It is also a great favourite for quiet walks, thanks to its proximity to the Meloncello Arch, from where you can walk up to the Sanctuary of San Luca along the portico of the same name and stroll through the Bolognese hills.

"In the shade of the porticoes" is the column that explores the twelve Porticoes of Bologna, recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2021. In addition to offering insights into their history and architecture, the column also tells of the daily life of those who work, travel and live under those porticoes every day.