Portico of San Luca

The portico of San Luca is unique in the world.
It connects the city of Bologna to the Sanctuary of the Beata Vergine di San Luca with a structure that some say has 666 arches along its route, but actually the number is slightly lower (it depends on how they are counted).
It was built to enable devotional processions when the sacred image of the Madonna di San Luca was taken down to the city. Commencement of building the plain segment dates to 1674, ending a century later with final work on the Sanctuary, erected in a strategic position on Monte della Guardia.
Overall, the porticoed route winds down about 3600 metres. The first part is on level terrain and from Bonaccorsi Arch follows Via Saragozza for about a kilometre and a half. A statue is positioned in a niche at the 170th portico arch. Due to its generous dimensions, Bologna residents have nick-named this work by the sculptor Andrea Ferreri (around 1706) Madonna Grassa, literally Fat Madonna.
Then when reaching Piazza della Pace, the portico crosses the street with a visually arresting "flyover" that was bold for its time: the Meloncello Arch (1718).
From there the route becomes arduous, going uphill or with steps for over two kilometres until arriving at the end section, a sort of porticoed embrace that welcomes pilgrims and accompanies them to the entrance of the Sanctuary. Dedicated to the Madonna di San Luca, it contains the icon of the Blessed Virgin, which people say was painted by San Luca, the Evangelist, and brought to Bologna by a pilgrim coming from Constantinople.