Dynamics of Italian historical centres and new territorial hierarchies

Abstract

Historic centres have long been a solved theme in the country’s urban culture. Reading the economic and social data relating to the oldest parts of our cities makes such a position fragile. The aim of the paper is to investigate the relationship between historical centres and the cities of which they are part, assuming that the evolution of the centres can be considered in the light of a more comprehensive transformation of the country’s cities. The survey of ancient centres is conducted starting from the census data of twenty-five cities suitably georified. The conclusions highlight how the size and rank of the cities have an importance in the evolution of economic vitality and in the use of the heritage of the historic centres.