O:ORIGINS :: The Vasari Corridor

The Vasari Corridor in Florence is a direct ancestor of Chicago's Pedway. Built in 1565, the corridor was the first elevated walkway of its kind. It functioned as an extension of the Palazzo Vecchio and winds for nearly a kilometer above houses, through a church, around a tower, and over a bridge. It allowed the Medicis to attend church, conduct business, and go for strolls all without leaving the comfort of their home. Unfortunately, unlike the Pedway, the Vasari Corridor is rarely opened to visitors.

Top left: A view inside the Vasari Corridor in Florence. Top right: The Vasari Corridor is visible on top of the Ponte Vecchio, the bridge crossing the River Arno in Florence.

At left: The Pedway's Point-of-Interest #4: The First Overpass. in Chicago.

M:MECHANICAL WALKWAY :: The Pier Movable Sidewalk

The 2500-foot mechanical sidewalk under construction at the 1893 Columbian Exposition in Chicago. See "A:Admission Tickets :: The Pier Movable Sidewalk".

The walkway was the first of its kind and ran from a casino on shore out to the boats at the end of a pier. Visitors arriving by ferry from downtown Chicago could step onto this walkway and glide (either seated or standing) to the fairgrounds at the other end. The moving sidewalk served as inspiration for a similar technology at the 1900 World's Fair in Paris.