Active Preservation and use of Historical Urban Centers - The case study of the Belgrade old city core

Abstract

Exploration of possibilities of protection, rehabilitation and envision of sustainable strategies of development of historical urban centres and environments are important topics which have dominated the sphere of theoretical and practical work in the field of cultural heritage for several decades. The focus is not only on their phyisical protection but also on the broader issues related to the management problems and contemporary use as place of living and a place with cultural and tourism potential. The includes the necessity of connecting local community and professionals; issues of providing social cohesion and economic development as well as the need for perservation of integrity, authenticity, diversity, significance and identity of the place. Similar processes occur in historic centres of European cities, which are manifested in specific manners: a trend of erasing diversity and distinction left by the local community and traditional functions which constitute the main character and the value of certain place has been recognized; dilapidation of old buildings and unacceptable modern interventions which change the morphology and the character of a place; complete destruction and loss of historic structures in the name of modernization and progress; mismatch and opposition of residential and public functions; etc. These processes and problems are also evident in the historic ambiences og Belgrade, especially in Kosančićev venac, the protected area with significant cultural, urban and architectural values. The work focuses on analysis of these processes in the present state of this historic environment, current institutial evaluation and the potential for its rehabilitation through activation of cultural and tourism potentials. The goal is to examine them in relation to the processes of improvement of similar European historic centres and application of the new, active methods in the integrated rehabilitation managment of historic city centres.