Abstract
Abstract. Within the context of postmodern tourism, the importance of preserving and enhancing environmental and cultural assets of destinations is increasingly being recognised as one of the keys to sustainable long-term development of territories. The paper focuses on the complex diachronic relationship between the town of Trento, in the Trentino- Alto Adige region, and its watercourses, and, in particular, on its connection with the Fersina stream. The aim is to raise locals’ and visitors’ awareness of a largely forgotten urban water landscape, and to implement the town’s existing cultural and environmental tourist offer. This is achieved through the revival of collective memory of the fundamental role of water for the development of Trento and through the requalification of the stream and its network of canals, which once brought water to different parts of the city-centre. For such purpose, the validity of cartography and other geo-historical sources has been acknowledged; maps are particularly useful sources for retracing territorialisation processes, and rediscovering past territorialities and related landscapes. Accordingly, we have carried out a geo-historical analysis of cartographic representations of the town, shedding light on the past widespread presence of water within urban space and making some proposals for the enhancement and communication of such heritage.
Highlights
Much of the post-Second World War period witnessed an unchallenged desire for unlimited economic growth and well-being (Bramwell, Lane, 1993)
The goal is to revive inhabitants’ collective memory of the past centrality and socio-economic value of the Fersina stream and of its ancient network of artificial canals, known as rogge. These brought water to many different parts of the town but have gradually disappeared since the 19th Century (Cagol, Nequirito, 2005) and their traces can today only be found in a few street names, such as via Roggia Grande
We will make some proposals for the enhancement of the Fersina fluvial landscape, not just with respect to the stream itself and including the city-centre and its former canal system
Summary
Much of the post-Second World War period witnessed an unchallenged desire for unlimited economic growth and well-being (Bramwell, Lane, 1993). The analysis of cartographic representations, which should always be contextualised in terms of the time, space and purpose of their production (Rombai, 2010), can contribute to the recovery of obliterated heritage, as well as to the implementation of conscious forms of resource management and the prediction and solution of present and future territorial issues (Dai Prà, Gemignani, Tanzarella, 2013) Their validity applies to the tourism domain. Rediscovering past human landscapes through the interpretation of iconographic and symbolic elements found in maps can help build cultural and historical attractions for responsible travellers looking for authentic experiences and willing to gain deeper knowledge of visited destinations Attracting such types of visitors, who are generally more aware of their actions and respectful of the environmental and cultural assets of a territory, as opposed to tourists who are merely looking for leisure and entertainment, can boost sustainable development of a given territory. We will make some proposals for the enhancement of the Fersina fluvial landscape, not just with respect to the stream itself and including the city-centre and its former canal system
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