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 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.
Highlights
During the last couple of years, the city of Heraklion has aimed to become one of the main destinations for tourists on the island of Crete, which is already one of the most popular destinations in Greece
The degradation identified in several areas that are outside the tourist vision for Heraklion but yet within the boundaries of the old city, have evoked a citizens’ reaction, who have become self-organised to act in defence of public spaces and the local history
The architecture of the old city, the stories surrounding the buildings, their use and the people that lived and worked in them, as well as their role in the creation of urban public space and modern daily life are part of these initiatives’ interests and demands. The selection of these particular initiatives was made after taking into consideration the following factors: (a) They focus on entire areas of the old city and aim to affect both their urban landscape and the daily life of their inhabitants, (b) their activities take place within the borders of the old city of Heraklion, a listed archaeological site, and directly set under the protection of the Greek Ministry of Culture, (c) their central location may help to spread their demands, and (d) my participation in some of their activities contributed to my need to better understand their actual relationship to cultural heritage and their impact on the urban landscape
Summary
During the last couple of years, the city of Heraklion has aimed to become one of the main destinations for tourists on the island of Crete, which is already one of the most popular destinations in Greece. The analysis of the data collected presents clear differences among the case studies, despite the common aims they evangelize, such as the need for defending public space and for finding ways to “produce” heritage in ways different from the official processes Their activity does not seem to be related to the touristic development that the city’s statutory bodies promote, but focuses instead on the local inhabitants and their needs and rights within a constantly transforming public space. Departing from Harvey’s point of view on the right in the city [6], Iaione’s comments on public space [7] and Leontidou’s work on social movements [8], the main features of citizen groups defending public urban space, an inextricable part of which is cultural heritage, are identified Within this context, indicative examples from Greece are briefly discussed, and the three selected movements active in Heraklion are presented and analysed in further detail in this paper for the first time
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