Abstract
The protection and enhancement of places of cultural heritage in their contemporary context stand as major challenges in Euro-Mediterranean peri-urban areas, where heritage is vast and urbanization pressure is extremely high. This article refers to those historical and archaeological sites that are considered “minor” as they lack “exceptional character”, or they appear in the shadow of major monuments and, thus, fall marginally within the scope of mainstream cultural policy priorities to protect and enhance significant monuments and heritage sites. This study presents the results of exploratory qualitative research that addresses questions about the in situ actual future and potential role of “minor” sites in cultural heritage awareness-raising and management. In a sustainable perspective, this article discusses the value of heritage fragments and public involvement in their enhancement within their territory with the use of digital resources and ICT. This study focuses on the alienated Small Temple on the beach of Loutsa within the wider archaeological area of Vravrona on the east coast of the metropolitan area of Attica/Athens. It concludes that co-creation of shared narratives can create a dynamic interface and constructive involvement of stakeholders and local communities provided that smart applications are combined and adapted to the specificities and conditions of the wider context.
Highlights
Published: 30 September 2021This article focuses on the protection, preservation, and enhancement of “minor”sites of cultural heritage that have recently attracted attention through the new Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) potential in relevant applications
This study presents the conditions of the case of the Small Temple of Loutsa on the east coast of Attica, and its contemporary context, as an example of a minor cultural heritage site that would benefit from increased attention from both institutions and communities
This study focuses on the Small Temple on the beach of Loutsa within the wider archaeological area of Vravrona on the east coast of Attica, as a typical example of a minor heritage site at risk of eradication by sprawling metropolitan areas
Summary
Published: 30 September 2021This article focuses on the protection, preservation, and enhancement of “minor”sites of cultural heritage that have recently attracted attention through the new Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) potential in relevant applications. Heritage sites are considered those without “exceptional character”, widespread in the EuroMediterranean landscape, which fall only marginally within the general official protection and enhancement measures. They are often inaccessible to the public, exposed to the risk of degradation and destruction—especially in peri-urban contexts—and are the most exposed to anthropogenic pressures and radical transformations. Conventional cultural and heritage protection policies do not suffice to bridge this gap; this very widespread condition is exacerbated for minor sites that pose complex challenges, and there is a need to identify adequate responses to re-establish a connection between people and the elements of tangible and intangible heritage, regardless of their exceptional nature. In recent practices deriving from projects of innovative digital technologies and ICT, there has been important progress in Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations
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