The Historic Arcades of San Luca with Psychedelic Lighting

The arcades of Bologna represent an important architectural and cultural heritage for the city and are its symbol together with the numerous towers. There is no other city in the world that has as many arcades as Bologna: all together the arcades measure almost 40 kilometers in length in the historic center alone, which reach 62 km if you count those outside the city limits. Due to their artistic and cultural relevance, since 2021 a part of the Bolognese arcades has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The longest portico in the world is that of San Luca, which measures 3,796 meters and consists of 666 arches: starting from the Bonaccorsi Arch 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 concluded by Carlo Francesco Dotti, who also designed the Arco del Meloncello. Along the portico you can admire the first arch built by the architect Monti, the statues of the fat Madonna and child by Andrea Ferreri and fifteen chapels in which the mysteries of the Rosary are painted