As part of the imposing, sacrosanct Basilica of San Francis in Assisi there is an understanding that even in their moment of greatest penitence and prayer, the pilgrims must still empty their bladder. So, the good people of Assisi have constructed a large public restroom adjacent to the church. When you descend the stairs, pass the gypsies asking for money and pay your obligatory 50 euro cents to enter, you see an amazing sight. Something never seen before in the history of the mankind. Above the urinals, cut into the granite massive is a large picture window, open to world with a 180 degree view of the Umbrian hillside, resplendent in a rural patchwork.. It is such a startling sight, that for a moment, you hesitate mid stream imagining in horror that you are accidentally relieving yourself in front of a Botticelli in the Uffizi. But, then you relax, realize you’re not going to fall off the hillside and enjoy the first picturesque pee of your lifetime. In fact you’re happy that for once your oversized prostate allows time to linger. Eventually though you’re finished and instead of leaving, you just stand there, mesmorized and contented. When you feel the eyes of the guy waiting behind for your spot, you finally quit but instead of turning around you are walk backwards looking out the huge glass window and when you leave to tip the Gypsy and realize by her scowl, that you forgot to zip up. You ascend the stairs, saunter back to the Basilica and start viewing the Giotto frescoes, all the while wanting to run out and drink two espressos and a bottle of water, just so you can descend those stairs again soon.
The Italians have been stereotyped in many ways: they drive using the “Force”,talk using their hands, drink a lot of wine and change governments like underwear. Mythical as they may be, there is one that holds a kernel of truth – the Italians build inside of their world not on top of it. Watch the world while you relief yourself is not the only example of this. When you enter Assisi you see signs leading you to an underground parking garage, placed overlying and within Etruscan ruins. You park your car near a 2,000 yr old Corinthian column, get out and see large ancient granite stone blocks integrated into modern concrete. You are gently led to the exits by large opaque glass openings cut into ancient walls exposing natural lighting from outside.
The Italians welcome history and the environment into daily life. A cynic might say, they have no choice. When your town is perched on a 60 degree hill 1,000 feet vertical and happens to be the home town of a famous saint who talked to animals, you can’t escape it. Too expensive to tear down 500 year old buildings, cheaper, and more appealing to renovate them. So the Italians deal with antiquity from the medieval streets designed for horsecarts to foundations dug by the Romans. They restore and integrate the past into the present. What existed should continue to exist but must do so within the needs of the present. Yes, occasionally convenience and logic bow to elegance and tradition maybe that is why cities are not grided,but maybe that is why do many find Italy so charming. In America you may find the signage sensible and the streets perpendicular but where else will you stop to admire a parking garage or stand in front of a panoramic plate glass window and meet a basic moment of need.
Unpublished work © 2009 Stanford Shoor
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