City walls have always formed one of the most important elements in a city. They would defend and determine the limits of the city, as well as determining its shape and profile, the sacred boundary between the inside and outside world. Gates were the places from which the city would communicate with the outside world, which attributed them signficant symbolism and relevance.
From the 18th and the 19th Century, the purpose for which they were built was progressively lost due to changing strategic concepts.
Walls thus became an obstacle in the face of hygiene, traffic and the expansion of the city, required at times of urban migration of the population. By the time of the Napoleonic Wars, the fortfications of some cities were already considered a potential danger should there be a people’s uprising or if they should fall into enemy hands.
Thus began a process that would lead to the demolition of the defensive circuits of many cities all over Europe. In Italy, from the 1860’s, and thanks also to the law on expropriation introduced in 1865, various projects were drawn up to plan and oversee the expansion of the city and modify the roads. This was based on the Ring of Vienna model, where the wall circuit became the principal artery of distribution. Within the article, the authors examine the different situations faced by Florence and Bologna, also in relation with the matter of monument conservation.
