Connecting Venice and Athens
Six months ago I moved to the beautiful city of Venice as an exchange student with the Erasmus program. At first everything seemed to me like a whole different world and very different from what I had been used to. The city’s built and special characteristics make it quite a unique case. As time went by though, I started looking for connections between Venice and Athens, the city I come from. I discovered how common experiences take place in a different cultural environment and things that one city could “learn” from the other. I also developed a new perspective about the way a saw my own city.
It’s in the Roots
Venice and Athens are two cities with long and interesting histories which are actually very similar at some points. They both thrived in trade ( Venice during the 13th century and Athens at the 7th and 5th centuries BC.) something that enabled them to build connections with different cities in the Mediterranean sea and enriched them culturally. They are both very good examples of cities where the western civilization has mingled with the eastern one and bare strong influences from it that are very evident in many architectural elements and traditions.
Designed for living or for visiting?
At the mention of either one of these cities one thinks of vacation as they are two of Europe’s most known touristic attractions, famous for their beauty, sightseeing and hospitality. But how does this impact on the everyday life in them? The focus on tourism and meeting the visitors’ needs has led to the neglecting or the overlooking of the locals’ needs and desires in some cases.
Some of the most important urban synchronizations in Athens took place around 2004 at the sight of the Olympic Games and as the city was preparing to host numerous people from all over the world. Those include some projects like the expansion of the Metro subway that was crucial for the residents transportation and the built of a new and international airport. Some plans that were in the papers for years but eventually took a push with the occasion of that big event and the need to transport all those visiting people in the city.
On the other hand, in Venice many argue that the touristic activity pushes locals out of their city since the costs become anaffordable. Most of the buildings have been turned into hotels and the forms of entertainment available in the city fit more to the visitors’ taste than the residents’ needs.
I recall the first time that I saw a giant cruise ship crossing the Giudecca canal. Its size made the Campanile of San Marco small in comparison and the ground became a little shaky as in a small scale earthquake. The next days I started noticing the multiple “No Grandi Navi” signs in the residential areas. The locals despise these ships because they cause problems to the lagoon and the constant shaking causes problems to the buildings.
Tourism is the heavy industry of these cities and they really work hard on their branding. But have they reached a point where they first take into account their visitors and then their residents?
