La difesa dei monumenti e lo studio della storia locale come baluardo di fronte alla trasformazione radicale delle città. Parigi, Bruxelles e Roma intorno al 1900

Abstract

In the second half of the nineteenth century, European cities and rural areas underwent profound transformations, driven by the modernization of infrastructure and the industrialization of production processes. In response to these changes – and to the  emergence of a nostalgic vision of the “vanished” city – the first voluntary associations dedicated to the protection of historical, artistic, and landscape heritage began to appear. This essay aims to explore the emergence and subsequent consolidation of  these associations, which became active in major French, Belgian, and Italian cities in the study, preservation, and enhancement of
heritage elements (buildings, building complexes, neighborhoods, natural sites). Historic monuments and local identity became central themes in the public discourse of the period, while the historical study of the city enriched the evolving discipline of urban planning with a new dimension.