IHG Hotels & Resorts, one of the world’s leading hotel companies, has announced the signing of Holiday Inn & Suites Taif and Staybridge Suites Taif, in partnership with Al Jumaiah Group. Both properties are set to open in Q4 2025 in the Al Shafa, Taif, a relaxing destination located 2,500 meters above sea level and known for its historical sites, panoramic scenic views, pleasant weather, and fragrant rose gardens. The new resorts will play a vital role in supporting Taif’s growing hospitality scene and further cementing IHG’s commitment to Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.
Historic Storefront Signs Capture Bologna’s Timeless Charm
04.11.2023 - 12:41 / forbes.com
Rino Carobello isn’t a professional historian or a photographer. But he has curated an impressive collection of over 600 images of old storefront signs in Bologna, Italy on his Instagram account, Lettering de Bologna,
The photos include signage that appears over hotels, museums, restaurants, bars, pharmacies, hardware stores, butchers, delicatessens, and other shops in this vibrant city, capital of the Emilia Romagna region.
When Carobello found himself unemployed with too much time on his hands eight years ago, the former graphic designer began gazing at the signage above the stores while listening to music on his earphones.
This diversion freed him from his daily worries, he says. So he decided to focus on observing and capturing digital images of the signs.
He was fascinated by the varied lettering styles, designs, techniques, and shapes of the signs that reflected the city’s different historical and artistic periods.
The first sign he photographed was an image of a “B” from Galleria Spazia, a contemporary art gallery, founded by Marco Bottai, housed in one of the alleys of the former Jewish ghetto. That image became the logo on Carobello’s Instagram profile; his account now has almost 7,000 followers.
“Most of the signs I photographed have maintained their original function, signaling the presence of a commercial establishment,” says Carobello.
“But like me, sometimes those who look at my photographs find their thoughts turning elsewhere. For example, the signs hanging over many closed cinemas are evocative of shelters during times of war.”
“Improvised yet elegant, the bottega (shop) signs are mirrors of our identity,” says Catia Aliberti, a professional tour guide in Bologna who studied art and tourism at the University of Bologna. “That’s why we have tried to preserve these old signs.”
Each one is an original work of art. “There were no official manuals or general standards for sign painters so artisans used their creativity to create works that were tailor-made for each establishment,” she says.
Aliberti notes that Bologna’s city center is filled with family-owned businesses that have been handed down from one generation to another. “The architecture, signs, and furnishings constitute genuine artistic treasures,” she says.
Now that young people are leaving Italy in record numbers for education and employment opportunities, many small businesses like these are closing down.
A recent report noted that Zanelli, a historic fabric store in the heart of Bologna, will be forced to close its doors after 86 years with no heirs to take the business over from its elderly owners.
Carobello can’t precisely explain the appeal of his simple photographs.
“Perhaps, the secret lies in the frequency of the posts,
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