The first awnings in history

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Awnings are part of the urban landscape all over the world, and have been for generations, as the history of awnings goes back at least 3000 years.

Brief history of awnings

Archaeological excavations show that the first known urban civilizations in Mesopotamia, Syria and the Nile Valley already used roofing fabrics to shade markets and house patios.

However, the first documented awning in history was placed on the Colosseum in Rome, where a giant sailcloth cover (like the sails of ships) called “velarium” was deployed to protect the emperor from the inclement sun of Rome. This awning was already deployed with a system of ropes and pulleys, like some more recent awnings, which indicates that in reality there was nothing primitive, but that the history of awnings at that time already had a long journey.

Although the awnings of the following centuries were probably simpler, in the 19th century the first elaborate awnings were seen again, much more similar to those of today. The first were fixed awnings, attached to the walls of the premises with a metal structure, until the company A. Fabre created the first awning with an articulated arm that is the model that usually protects shop windows today.

This model became popular throughout the European continent, and then in the United States, throughout the first half of the 20th century, and after the post-war industrial development, a series of innovations appeared that allowed the awning to be picked up automatically, this movement was programmed and, with the latest innovations, the awning was connected to a domotic system. A long evolution from the velarium, right?