Paper short abstract:

This paper examines how the implementation of a major project in the heart of the historic centre of Athens shapes perceptions of the monumental archaeological heritage in this area.

Paper long abstract:

The monumental archaeological heritage of the historic centre of Athens, that has been discovered in the Renaissance period and the Age of Enlightenment and has been established in the nineteenth century, has been recently re-examined in an attempt to redefine what should be the cultural history of the area and how it should be presented to the public. As is well-known, the project included both new excavations and enhancement of existing archaeological sites, as well as intensive remodeling of a network of streets (the so-called "Grand promenade") designed to connect these various components of the landscape. The principal rationale and ambition of the project was the communication to the public of a sense of historical continuity that intensive occupation of the city had interrupted.

The purpose of this paper is to expose and evaluate the logic and implications of this endeavour. A particular focus on the "Grand promenade", as the major means through which this sense of continuity could be realized by the visitor, serves, in this sense, a dual purpose. It first of all allows acknowledging the project as an exercise at imposing coherence and legibility on an intensively built and rebuilt landscape. Secondly, it invites reflection on the ways in which the long history of the area has been (re)constructed and received by visitors.