Abstract
This article discusses the tourist refunctionalization of the Old Town of Old Havana was marked by two fundamental events: the declaration of the Center and the city's defensive system to Cultural Heritage of Humanity (UNESCO), in 1982, a fact that conferred international visibility to the group and the governmental decision to develop cultural tourism in this area. Since 1993, making the historic area attractive for commercialization, a fact that aggravated the socio-spatial contradictions. Through bibliographic review, documentary research and analysis of empirical results, we evaluate the renewal of the urban landscape, the displacement of a part of the low-income population, the arrival of the Cuban middle classes and the revaluation, even if informal, of the houses. These facts point to the existence of an emerging gentrification process in the Historic Center of Old Havana. Keywords: cultural heritage, touristic refunctionalization, historical center, Old Havana
Highlights
This paper deals with tourism refunctionalization in the Old Town in Havana, which was marked by two fundamental events: the City Center (Old Havana) and its Fortification System were declared World Cultural Heritage sites by the UNESCO in 1982, a fact that bestowed international visibility to the architectural ensemble, and the government decision on cultural tourism development in this area from 1993 on, making these historical sites attractive for commercialization and aggravating socio-spatial contradictions
Touristification of some historical centers in Latin America has been related to the fact that they were designated World Cultural Heritage sites by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Gradual displacement of residents, who were replaced with tourists, and the conversion of culture into a bargaining chip to legitimate socio-spatial segregation show a process of gentrification in Old Havana, but it has a trend that may even take place in a socialist country and in a government that is still worried about its population
Summary
Este artigo trata da refuncionalização turística do Centro Histórico de Havana Velha, marcada por dois eventos fundamentais: a declaratória do Centro e do sistema defensivo da cidade a Patrimônio Cultural da Humanidade (UNESCO), em 1982, que conferiu visibilidade internacional ao conjunto e, a decisão governamental de desenvolver o turismo cultural nesta área, a partir de 1993, tornando a zona histórica atrativa para a comercialização, agudizando as contradições socioespaciais. Por meio de revisão bibliográfica, de pesquisa documental e de análise de resultados empíricos, avaliamos a renovação da paisagem urbana, os deslocamentos de uma parte da população de baixa renda, a chegada das classes médias cubanas e a revalorização, mesmo que informal, das moradias. Esses fatos apontam a existência de um processo de gentrificação emergente no Centro Histórico de Havana Velha. Palavras-chave: Patrimônio Cultural; Refuncionalização Turística; Centro Histórico; Havana Velha
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