Conceived in Persia and Egypt, the balcony had a specific ceremonial function, similar to that of the pulpit, which also was a hierarchical one: it made the presence of someone prevail over the masses underneath the balcony. But over time, the balcony and its older sibling, the terrace, took on new functions and purposes.
During the pandemic, for example, the balcony has solidified itself as a communal device. Remember when everyone was confined to their home as governments imposed strict lockdowns? Then you probably also remember when people rediscovered the balcony as a link to the outside world and a way to connect with their neighborhoods at a time of forced isolation.
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Quarantined Italians, for example, had taken to their balconies to sing the national anthem in unison, launch fireworks, belt out opera and applaud medical workers in an effort to boost the country's collective morale.
Many of these public pandemic practices had quickly spread around the world and when most areas across the globe were under some form of state-mandated, social-distancing measures, balconies from Madrid to Mumbai, Chicago to Zhejiang and Hamburg to Alexandria were suddenly taking center stage and reminding people of the importance to look outside, to realize they weren't alone in this.
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In Western culture, the balcony has made quite a name for itself; one of the most famous and romantic scenes in Western literature, from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, was played out on this platform. Also, it was on a balcony in Cape Town where a newly-freed Nelson Mandela looked out upon the masses and promised a new chapter in history. And it is from a balcony in the Vatican where the Pope still blesses millions of believers each Sunday.
So does all of this mean you can make your balcony home to a fake horse skeleton? Probably not. But I can understand why it inspires you to express yourself.
