I have been lucky that I chose to stay in the Centro Storico area of city. I have been surrounded by everything historical, which I love just as much as I do modern and contemporary décor. One of my favourite things to walk around and see is the amazing buildings in Salerno. There are some real beauties here.
Facades
What makes the first impression on any building? Why the façade of course, and here in Salerno, they can be incredibly ornate and exquisite.
I really admire a two or even three tone building, usually containing white plaster work detailing or carved marble. These old structures from the 18th century are so valuable and I love when I see them being cherished and restored to their former glory.
Salerno suffered greatly in an earthquake in the 1600’s, the city was almost flattened. As a result, most of the buildings that are seen today are from the late 17th and early 18th centuries.
Juliette Balconies
Oh those romantic little juliette balconies! They are so charming and very common here. For me, they make a building look so soft and feminine.
Often the detailing of the wrought iron railings and painted shuttered doors are adding to the overall quaint appeal of these tiny spaces.
Yellow
Probably the most common colour on buildings I see here is yellow. I don’t know the history of using this colour, but I can tell you what it does today.
Walking through the narrow streets and alleys, even in the middle of the day, can be quite dark. With the buildings being 4 to 6 stores high, the sunlight doesn’t enter these streets for very long during the day.
The yellow colour brightens these spaces in such a glorious way!
Ancient
Once in a while, wandering around as I do, I will come across a clearly older building. These are the remnants of the city pre-earthquake. Whether they be beautiful Romanesque columns, or old stone churches, they are here.
One just has to open up their eyes, slow their pace, and look all around. Its amazing the treasures that are in plain sight but get overlooked in our busy daily lives.
I haven’t spent very much time in the newer quarters of the city. Salerno is super large and with less than two weeks here, I want to keep my explorations to the older districts. There is a warmth and feeling of safety that these old haunted structures ooze. If they have stood the test of time for three to four hundred years, surely, they deserve to be cherished and adored.
