AN ITALIAN ARCHITECTURAL ROADSHOW: PART 1 - The PROFFERLI of Viterbo

From north to south Italy is renowned world over for its history and vast variety of architectural styles. Some buildings come immediately to mind for their breath-taking beauty: the Colosseum, the Duomo in Milan, Saint Peter’s Basilica and the Leaning Tower of Pisa are just some of the more famous historic structures.

However many more less acclaimed buildings or architectural styles are waiting to be discovered all around the country. One of these is the “PROFFERLO”, a quite particular feature that is often associated with the city of Viterbo, a highly recommended destination to visit in the north of the Lazio region.

Viterbo has its famous hot springs whose popularity is traceable to ancient times, thanks to the volcanic nature of the area. In the 13th century, Viterbo also became the temporary seat for the Popes due to the dangerous conditions in Rome at that time.

Medieval architecture in the 14th century saw the rise in popularity of the PROFFERLI (plural of PROFFERLO). The reasons behind the use of this feature on residential buildings are varied. What is a PROFFERLO? It is an external staircase on a building’s facade giving access to the residential rooms, located on the first floor. The staircase did not arrive directly at the entrance door but rather to a small loggia or balcony running in front of the door allowing access to the inside. Some PROFFERLI have carved decorations in the grey coloured peperino (a volcanic stone) which is widely used for construction in the area.

Does that sound like an exaggerated way to enter a house? It was, in a sense, but there were quite practical reasons for it as well. Often streets were quite dirty or prone to flooding, so by having a direct entrance to their home on the first floor it secured the home against damage that could otherwise occur on the ground floor. It also provided more security to the residents of the building, almost like defending a small fortress. Then the enhanced appearance of the building permitted the owners to “flaunt” their wealth!

Another important and perhaps more practical reason for the use of PROFFERLI is that the interior construction of many medieval buildings used load-bearing masonry arches, buttresses, walls and vaulted ceilings to support upper floors and roofs. It was not practical or safe to put a large hole through a vault to allow for a staircase! This changed in later times as architectural practices became more refined.

Under the staircase, a semi arch served as the ground floor entrance to the building, which tended to be where a commercial activity, grain storage or even stables were located. The entrance was sheltered from the rain and sun by the protruding balcony and steps above it. However, as previously mentioned the ground floor was prone to flooding during heavy rain or could be more vulnerable to attacks.

Visitors to Viterbo can find one of the best-preserved examples of a profferlo at the CASA POSCIA in Via Saffi, in the San Pellegrino area of the city. Less than 10 minutes’ walk from the famous Palazzo dei Papi, this 14th century house takes its name from the Poscia family and must have been one of the most popular buildings of its day. Legend tells us that the BELLA GALIANA, the much sought after beautiful young girl, would stand on the balcony of the Casa Poscia to wave to her crowd of admirers and suitors.

That, however, is a story for another day.