Lining both sides of the main street of Pieve di Teco is an arcade of covered arches. They were built by individual homeowners in the 1400s and 1500s and provide shade in the summer and protection from the rain in the winter. Each arch is beautifully vaulted in traditional Italian style.
But upon closer inspection, you notice that no two arches are the same – with varying heights and widths. Some are perfectly curved while others come to a point at the top. And the story of why they’re all different is both simple and fascinating.
It came down to money. The richer the family, the higher they build their arch. It was a status symbol back in the day to showcase your wealth.
What does this help us determine about our palazzo? Well, we’re the archway in the middle of the photo below. So while the place seems big and grand to us, several hundred years ago, the family that built it probably wasn’t among the richest in town.
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