03 May 2009

Rue Longue - Arch beneath an Arch



Throughout the Old Town you find signs giving historical information on where you are. Very helpful it is too.

On the left you see part of one of these signs, showing an old arched doorway under an archway that stretches across the street to the other side. In the main photograph, you see the same viewpoint. Not much in the way of a change here..thank goodness.

The sign, by the way, was dirty from all the rain we had last month - next I'll walk around with a bucket.

Notice the beautiful old cobbles in the drawing and compare to the new road surface which really doesn't enhance the beauty of this ancient street.

9 comments:

  1. I so love these pieces of history. Notice, too, how low the arch is; people were just tinier then, I guess.

    ReplyDelete
  2. This is a great spot! Shame about the 'modern' signs, I mean electric cables, pipes and so on... :-)

    ReplyDelete
  3. So classic and still beautiful to see them. :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Same problem in the oldest part of Livorno: new pavements, wild wiring and the worst offence is when cobblestones are covered with asphalt.
    Fine engraving well matched by your photo.

    ReplyDelete
  5. beautiful double arch. So authentic of the old town. I wonder when they will make disappear all these power lines.
    Ventimiglia is even less looked after. I guess that Ventimiglia of today is Old Menton of the 60's. But it get some charms, though. And it's even bigger than the old town of Menton. Three churches, shops, many square , and many remains of the fortification ..

    ReplyDelete
  6. What a gorgeous, gorgeous place you live in, Jilly. I love traipsing through it with you.

    ReplyDelete
  7. It always amazes me how European countries respect their older buildings.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Most of pavements are coming from China now, in the past they were extracted from a localized quarry, so they are marble paving stones (white, pink, grey ones) in Pragues for instance instead being of granite.

    ReplyDelete
  9. The modern stones do detract from the beautiful arch and stone stairs. Who knows where the stairs lead to, and what's up there - that could be the start of a story.

    ReplyDelete