Wpływ pandemii COVID-19 na zmiany podejścia do zarządzania miastami historycznymi na przykładzie Florencji
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on changes in approaches to the management of historic cities. The example of Florence

Summary/Abstract: Visiting historic cities has gained in popularity in recent years due to an increasing proclivity for urban travel (so-called city breaks) and the interest in exploring the charms of historic districts. The rise in the number of tourists in historic city spaces has resulted in both positive developments for cities and their inhabitants (economic growth, accelerated regeneration processes) and negative consequences (deterioration of quality of life, overtourism). The crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to severe travel restrictions, has led to a discussion about the future of historic districts and the changes that should be made to reduce the negative effects of tourism on local communities. The city of Florence and its UNESCO World Heritage area were analysed using existing data, academic literature and information from in-depth interviews conducted by the author in 2022. In Florence during the pandemic, there was an intensive debate about the possible directions for addressing the challenges of the post-pandemic reality. This discussion resulted, among other, in a joint effort of the city authorities and its inhabitants to develop a new management plan for the UNESCO area. The challenges faced by the historic district, accentuated by the pandemic, have become a driving force to initiate a process of change. Some proposed solutions are already present in local urban documents and are gradually being implemented. However, the effectiveness of the instruments introduced by local authorities to manage the district of the city centre remains a topic of discussion, as does the actual impact on the functioning of the historic city centre under post-pandemic conditions.

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