Tourism and protection of historic city centres: the case of Plaka in Athens

Abstract

The text describes briefl y the location and the form of Plaka, the oldest inhabited neighborhood of Athens, as well as its particular importance for the city’s history. Reference is made to the serious problems that began to arise in the early postwar decades, due mainly to the growth of tourism, and the intensifi cation of these problems, especially in the late 1970s. Presented next is the intervention plan aimed at protecting the historical character of the area, the principles on which it was based, and the legal and other measures adopted and applied, as well as the results achieved.