Measuring spatial intersection in the historic center of Seville: pedestrianization, commerce and tourism

Abstract

Historical centers present three common phenomena that develop spatiotemporally: the processes of pedestrianization, commercial development and tourist activity. Despite this, they have been approached independently. This article advances in this aspect and aims to measure and demonstrate the influence of pedestrianization on commercial space and tourist flows in the historic center of Seville. The results show how pedestrianization has had a considerable impact on both the public space and the commercial fabric, with a proliferation of catering establishments and stores linked to the tourist sector to the detriment of traditional commerce. The pedestrian footprint of Seville throughout history has been a cause of commercial and tourist development, empirically evidencing the spatial interrelation of the three phenomena. At present, pedestrianization is the result of this trend.