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Heritage
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Re-Inventing the Mediterranean Tourist City
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Re-Inventing the Mediterranean Tourist City

A special issue of Heritage (ISSN 2571-9408).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2019) | Viewed by 37411

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Katerina Chatzikonstantinou

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Guest Editor
Academic Scholar, Department of Architecture, University of Thessaly, Pedion Areos, 38334 Volos, Greece
Interests: modern architecture; heritage management; Mediterranean urban history
Dr. Stelios Lekakis

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Guest Editor
Research Fellow - McCord Centre - School of History, Classics and Archaeology, Newcastle University, Newcastle NE1 7RU, UK
Interests: heritage management; cultural heritage studies; cultural informatics; politics of heritage; heritage commons
Dr. David Martín López

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Associate Professor, Department of History of Art, University of Granada, Facultad de Filosofía y Letras, Campus de Cartuja, s/n, 18071 Granada, Spain
2. Member of the Research Group “HUM-222: Patrimonio Arquitectónico y Urbano en Andalucía”, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
3. Member of the Research Group “A+m+d: Arte, Moda e Identidad”, Universityof La Laguna, La Laguna, Spain
Interests: modern architecture; history of tourism; contemporary urbanism; vernacular identities

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue of Heritage aims to gather high-quality original research on the effects of tourism expansion on architectural and archaeological heritage in the Mediterranean and the relationship between heritage management and tourism urban development.

Tourism has become a critical shaping force for contemporary socio-economic urban landscapes and a central strategic focus in regeneration policies. Mediterranean cities are currently affected by the tourism industries in particular ways. Their rich cultural and archaeological heritage plays a twofold role in the touristic urban development. On the one hand, it comprises an integral part of the identity of the place and, on the other, it serves as a powerful incentive for the tourist attraction of many cities. In this context, the narrative of the past is often re-contextualized through contemporary tourism practices, including the ‘Disneyfication’ of archaeological sites, one-dimensional heritage interpretations of contested sites, and the superficial ‘museumification’ of cities.

This Special Issue aims to discuss the different preservation strategies employed in the re-branding of heritage for tourist purposes in the Mediterranean by both the state and private stakeholders. In particular, we would encourage papers that explore topics such as the distinct sociopolitical and economic circumstances behind national tourism development policies that include archaeology in them; and papers that provide an overview of the international relationship between overseas heritage management politics, urban development and the expansion of tourism. We also welcome contributions analyzing the origins of tourism urban planning and new approaches of heritage management. Finally, papers debating on the success or failure of archaeological and architectural tourism in regeneration policies are also encouraged to contribute to this session. Contributions that offer comparative perspectives, especially across countries are especially welcome.

Dr. Katerina Chatzikonstantinou
Dr. Stelios Lekakis
Dr. David Martín López
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Heritage is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Mediterranean
  • tourism
  • heritage management

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Editorial

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4 pages, 172 KiB  
Editorial
The Mediterranean Tourist City Reconsidered
by Stelios Lekakis and Katerina Chatzikonstantinou
Heritage 2020, 3(3), 985-988; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage3030053 - 3 Sep 2020
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1937
Abstract
A man crosses the street holding his donkey by its bridle [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Re-Inventing the Mediterranean Tourist City)

Research

Jump to: Editorial

15 pages, 252 KiB  
Article
Grass-Roots Initiatives and Bottom-Up Musealisation Mechanisms in Urban Space: The Case of Heraklion Crete
by Konstantina Nikolopoulou
Heritage 2019, 2(3), 1912-1926; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage2030116 - 11 Jul 2019
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2865
Abstract
Heraklion is gradually transforming into the newest tourist destination in Crete, which is one of the most popular island destinations in Greece. The regional statutory and local tourist bodies aim to develop Heraklion as a destination per se, overcoming the “gateway to the [...] Read more.
Heraklion is gradually transforming into the newest tourist destination in Crete, which is one of the most popular island destinations in Greece. The regional statutory and local tourist bodies aim to develop Heraklion as a destination per se, overcoming the “gateway to the rest of the island” identity that the city currently holds. At the same time, grass-roots initiatives are active in the city context, defending public space and urban cultural heritage, in idiosyncratic, bottom-up ways. This paper investigates the role undertaken by three such initiatives, currently active in Heraklion, to better comprehend their possible impact on the urban landscape and cultural heritage, within this gradually developing tourist landscape. The structure, aims and vision of the initiatives were documented through semi-structured interviews. Their actions, despite being diverse, are compared to the wider activity of similar initiatives in Greece, especially against neoliberal politics, culminating in defending public space, activating bottom-up musealisation mechanisms and participating in urban design in their own ways. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Re-Inventing the Mediterranean Tourist City)
22 pages, 5043 KiB  
Article
Live Your Myth in Greece: Towards the Construction of a Heritage Identity
by Myrto Stenou
Heritage 2019, 2(2), 1640-1661; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage2020101 - 12 Jun 2019
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 8518
Abstract
Nowadays, top-rated tourist attractions in Greece are ancient archaeological places and islands with blue-and-white esthetics. The country’s projected impression is greatly based on these two distinguished representations, chosen for their distinctive architecture scattered in the Greek landscape. Both imageries seem to be officially [...] Read more.
Nowadays, top-rated tourist attractions in Greece are ancient archaeological places and islands with blue-and-white esthetics. The country’s projected impression is greatly based on these two distinguished representations, chosen for their distinctive architecture scattered in the Greek landscape. Both imageries seem to be officially promoted in order to configure today’s national identity. The classical antiquities are related to the birthplace of European civilization, whereas the notion of the unspoilt archipelago with the whitewashed Cycladic houses works as a symbol of purity and eternity. The present article focuses on the analysis of these two Greek heritage scenarios and, subsequently, on their deconstruction. It aims to investigate the interaction between myth and reality and their role in forming the perception of contemporary Greece. The article argues that there is not a unique architectural history to come to light and, therefore, the highlighting of specific periods of it probably conceals intentions concerning patrimony management: selective excavation among the layers of history, historic preservation of selected buildings, and laws which impose the maintenance of certain findings or specific colors are some indicative signs. It also investigates the ways in which national heritage is directed and affected according to certain policies—local or foreign—that aim at a cultural investment in the world history. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Re-Inventing the Mediterranean Tourist City)
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21 pages, 9491 KiB  
Article
Capri’s Touristification. A Millennial Cultural Landscape Reinvented by Luxury Tourism
by Giovanna Russo Krauss
Heritage 2019, 2(2), 1509-1529; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage2020095 - 27 May 2019
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 6532
Abstract
In recent years the issue of touristification has been progressively discussed in relation to its impact on historic towns. In this regard, physical transformations and gentrification consequences are both issues often addressed. In Italy, consciousness on the subject primarily grew in relation to [...] Read more.
In recent years the issue of touristification has been progressively discussed in relation to its impact on historic towns. In this regard, physical transformations and gentrification consequences are both issues often addressed. In Italy, consciousness on the subject primarily grew in relation to Florence and Venice, both national cases widely discussed also on newspapers. The awareness of a wider range of cases affected by this problem, from big cities to small holiday destinations, is even more recent. The aim of the present paper is to address Capri’s touristification process, which started in the last decades of the nineteenth century and exploded in the second half of the twentieth century, from the point of view of the field of study of history and conservation of cultural heritage and landscape. Therefore, this process and some of its consequences on the island’s cultural landscape and identity are thoroughly analyzed. The paper starts with a brief introduction to the island and its history, which is necessary in order to highlight its rich cultural heritage and the slow pace at which Capri has grown over time as a fishermen island to suddenly transforming into a touristic destination during the last century. Finally, the current touristic vocation and the consequences on Capri’s natural and built environment are discussed, with the aim of individuating if and why there have already been losses and what should be done to prevent this negative process from going on. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Re-Inventing the Mediterranean Tourist City)
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12 pages, 1341 KiB  
Article
Senses of Place, Senses of Past: The Case of Antikythera and its Castle, Greece
by Kalliopi Fouseki and Georgios Alexopoulos
Heritage 2019, 2(2), 1274-1285; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage2020082 - 29 Apr 2019
Viewed by 4160
Abstract
This article explores local perceptions towards an archaeological site on the Greek island of Antikythera, known as ‘Castle’, within the context of recent calls for the development of the island through heritage tourism. As the identification of such perceptions is a fundamental step [...] Read more.
This article explores local perceptions towards an archaeological site on the Greek island of Antikythera, known as ‘Castle’, within the context of recent calls for the development of the island through heritage tourism. As the identification of such perceptions is a fundamental step in tourism planning we will reflect on data gathered during an ethnographic study funded by the post-doctoral scheme of the Greek State Scholarship Foundation. Our purpose was to examine how local perceptions of the island and its landscape, as a whole, define the ways in which the archaeological ‘Castle’ of Antikythera is perceived. We observed that positive or negative attitudes towards the archaeology of the island are strongly interlinked with positive or negative feelings for the island in general. Since most studies focus on the role of heritage in shaping a sense of place, we hope that this article will offer a new insight into the role of place in shaping heritage perceptions. We also hope that the findings of the research will inform future decisions on tourism development and its impact (potential risks or opportunities) on the sense of place. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Re-Inventing the Mediterranean Tourist City)
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19 pages, 4810 KiB  
Article
The Modern Gaze of Foreign Architects Travelling to Interwar Greece: Urban Planning, Archaeology, Aegean Culture, and Tourism
by Emilia Athanassiou, Vasiliki Dima, Konstantinia Karali and Panayotis Tournikiotis
Heritage 2019, 2(2), 1117-1135; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage2020073 - 12 Apr 2019
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 6803
Abstract
This paper reflects on the embrace of the Ancient world in modernity and the journey to Greece as a vehicle for their reciprocal reshaping. In the interwar period, new visual narratives emerged in Western accounts, proposing alternative contexts for Greek cultural heritage and [...] Read more.
This paper reflects on the embrace of the Ancient world in modernity and the journey to Greece as a vehicle for their reciprocal reshaping. In the interwar period, new visual narratives emerged in Western accounts, proposing alternative contexts for Greek cultural heritage and associating regional culture with the emergence of modernism. The article investigates the mobility of modern travellers in Greece as an essential factor for the new contextualization of the country’s dominant cultural paradigm -Antiquity- as well as for the emergence of parallel narrations of the Mediterranean genius loci that examine the spatial imprint of heritage and tourism on the Greek urban, archaeological and natural environment. Western intellectuals, engineers, architects and urban planners, supported by a highly mobile network of editors, travel agencies, tourist cruises, architectural or archaeological conferences and congresses, contributed to the promotion of modern architecture and urban infrastructure in Greece. Their yet to become tourist gaze embraced the Aegean tradition, the Greek landscape and the ancient ruins as equal collocutors, initiating at the same time Greece itself into modernity. This paper traces the encounters between foreign travellers and the divergent manifestations of the country’s cultural identity in the pages of printed articles, books, travel accounts, photographic material and films. Following these documentations, the paper argues that tourism mobility gave rise to an alternative, southern modernism, whose emergence and development deviates significantly from mainstream narratives propounded by the continental historiography of modernity. Vice versa, the modern mobility networks of the South promoted the development of urban infrastructure and welfare facilities in Greece, as well as the establishment of early tourism policies, thus articulating the new national narrative of interwar Greece, based equally on classical heritage, regional culture and modern progress. The present paper is part of the research program Voyage to Greece: Mobility and modern architecture in the interwar period, where E. Athanassiou, V. Dima, V.; Karali, K. contribute as post-doctoral researchers, with P. Tournikiotis, Professor NTUA as scientific supervisor. The research is co-financed by the Greek State and the European Union. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Re-Inventing the Mediterranean Tourist City)
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15 pages, 33763 KiB  
Article
Re-Inventing Underground Space in Matera
by Roberta Varriale
Heritage 2019, 2(2), 1070-1084; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage2020070 - 5 Apr 2019
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 5726
Abstract
The site of Sassi in Matera originates from a troglodyte village that is believed to be one of the first human settlements in Italy. The structure reflects the progressive transformation of natural caves into closed caves for urban use, and over time has [...] Read more.
The site of Sassi in Matera originates from a troglodyte village that is believed to be one of the first human settlements in Italy. The structure reflects the progressive transformation of natural caves into closed caves for urban use, and over time has distinguished a complex urban landscape that can only be fully appreciated when observed in cross-section. During the 20th century, the demographic rise and the socio-economic decline of the area turned these dwellings into a socio-environmental disaster and the area was definitively evacuated in the 1960s. Since then, the underground settlement has been revisited and is now considered and valorized as a cultural site. Inscribed in the UNESCO list in 1993, Sassi in Matera is the current European Capital of Culture (2019). This paper presents a brief overview on the worldwide approach to historical underground artifacts within contemporary urban planning, followed by an analysis of the application of the recent classification for underground built heritage (UBH) to Sassi. The different levels of reuse that have been carried out in Matera during the last decades are examined with a particular focus on the difficulties in facing gentrification, and examples of possible remedies provided by “ethical conservation for architecture” that preserves the communication of historical functions are discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Re-Inventing the Mediterranean Tourist City)
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