/of cobblestoned streets

The quintessential ‘things that stood the test of time’ (which is getting rare at a worrying rate in today’s day and age) are cobblestoned streets. And charming at that. When we think of them, it brings down memories of cute little alleys and winding lanes in fascinating European towns. Not just pretty, cobbles are quite functional. They are one of the most hardwearing and extremely durable materials for pavements.

Around 238 BC, the Romans used tons of cobblestones to lay around roads over 50,000 miles! These roads were used to link every part of the Roman Empire and surprisingly, they all led to Rome! Hence, the saying “All roads lead to Rome.” The historical cobblestone roads found in Europe and other parts of the world are made with 4” diameter stones. This stone size was the easiest on horses’ feet. However, this size is not best suited for human feet. If you have ever strolled on a cobblestone road with pointed footwear, then you know the struggle. Or if you are someone like me, any footwear given a long walk on such roads will, matter-of-factly lead to a tumble.

If we put the historical significance aside for a minute and focus purely on how they look, I mean, how aesthetically pleasing can something get while being so rugged? And the retreating-summer-oncoming-autumn sun’s soft amber glow finding pockets of space amidst the equally beautiful looking neo-gothic buildings of Europe to illuminate the scene just right falls nothing short of a great artistic rendition of an immaculate street landscape.

Charming cobblestoned cul-de-sacs. I think I like this title better. What do you think?