Among the innovations contained in the approved resolution is the Municipality’s request for the Garisenda to be included in the perimeter of the UNESCO enlisted porticoes. Also, the components of the serial property were revised from 12 to 10.
These are the most significant changes:
- Via Santa Caterina and Via Saragozza: the border extends to include the entire medieval block and portions of neighbouring streets (Via Cà Selvatica, Via Frassinago), and the Church of Santa Caterina, an identitary feature that gives the area its name.
- Piazza Santo Stefano, Piazza della Mercanzia and Strada Maggiore: the areas of Santo Stefano and Strada Maggiore are unified. The Garisenda Tower is thus reunited with the Asinelli Tower in the “Two Towers” ensemble. It also includes the historic passage of Corte Isolani, and the stretch of Via Mazzini up to the Church of the Alemanni.
- The Baraccano complex: the border extends to include the entire road along the porticoed route, in particular the stretch of Via Santo Stefano towards the Conservatory.
- San Luca and Certosa: the "fusion" of the Certosa and San Luca porticoes is formalized, recognizing their material and devotional continuity as they are joined by the Arco del Meloncello. A significant modification concerns the inclusion of a large portion of the surrounding hilly landscape (including parts belonging to the Municipality of Casalecchio), which is recognized as an essential attribute of the site’s Outstanding Universal Value.
- MAMbo: the perimeter extends to fully include the Via Don Minzoni sections connected to the porticoes.
finally, the protective buffer zone extends, involving, among other areas, the course of the River Reno (as an ecological corridor), Villa Spada, Villa Benni and the Giardini Margherita.
“With the approval of the Minor Boundary Modification proposal, we not only revise the perimeters of some components of the serial property at the request of UNESCO, but also strengthen the identity of our city.”, declared Anna Lisa Boni, councillor in charge of the UNESCO Porticoes project.
The tangible changes will be:- more coherence: we symbolically unite the Garisenda and Asinelli Towers and merge the San Luca and Certosa routes;
- more territory: the property extends beyond the city boundaries to include the hilly landscape of Casalecchio di Reno, recognising that the Porticoes live in symbiosis with the surrounding environment;
- more protection: we expand the Buffer Zone to safeguard iconic places such as Giardini Margherita and Villa Spada, ensuring strict and uniform protection.
- During its 48th session, to be held in Busan in South Korea from 19 to 29 July 2026, the World Heritage Committee will discuss the proposed border changes for eventual approval.
