Old directions

While strolling the streets of Parma,mainly to test out my new Meike 50mm f/0.95 lens, I was drawn to this elegant bicycle with a beautiful colorful umbrella in its basket, parked right under an old sign painted on the wall—a sign I'd honestly never noticed, despite having passed by here hundreds of times.

Perhaps not many people know what this sign refers to; there are several others preserved throughout the streets of Parma.

This sign indicated the presence and direction of an air raid shelter during World War II, allowing those caught in a bombing raid to run to shelter. The letter R indicates a shelter, while the arrow indicates the direction to reach it. In this case, the sign points to the San Giovanni shelter, located in Borgo del Correggio and capable of providing protection for 250 people. Other letters could indicate the presence of fire hydrants to be used to fight fires or the presence of a medical station. Also on Via XXII Luglio, the basement of the nearby Palazzo Santafiora was used as a bomb shelter.

A little historical note on a cold December day, hunting for evocative spots to photograph. And what about the lens? I'm satisfied