Preservation of Cultural Landscape as a Tool for the Sustainable Development of Rural Areas: The Case of Mani Peninsula in Greece

Eleni Oikonomopoulou, Ekaterini T. Delegou (), John Sayas, Anastasia Vythoulka and Antonia Moropoulou
Additional contact information
Eleni Oikonomopoulou: School of Chemical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), 9 Iroon Polytechniou Str., Zografou Campus, 15780 Athens, Greece
Ekaterini T. Delegou: School of Chemical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), 9 Iroon Polytechniou Str., Zografou Campus, 15780 Athens, Greece
John Sayas: School of Rural, Surveying and Geoinformatics Engineering, National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), 9 Iroon Polytechniou Str., Zografou Campus, 15780 Athens, Greece
Anastasia Vythoulka: School of Chemical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), 9 Iroon Polytechniou Str., Zografou Campus, 15780 Athens, Greece
Antonia Moropoulou: School of Chemical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), 9 Iroon Polytechniou Str., Zografou Campus, 15780 Athens, Greece

Land, 2023, vol. 12, issue 8, 1-39

Abstract: A cultural landscape is a complex and integrating concept with both material–physical and immaterial substance. Nevertheless, even today, the strategies for the protection and promotion of cultural landscapes are concentrated only at their material cultural elements, separated from their immaterial existence, or even from the natural environment in which they are placed. This study investigates the correlation of the tangible historical and natural heritage of a cultural landscape with its intangible content, as a spatial planning tool for its sustainable development. The proposed methodology was applied in the region of the Mani Peninsula, located in the southern Peloponnese, in Greece. During the documentation stage, literature research and fieldwork provided descriptive information, which was classified through standardization processes. GIS management and analysis procedures were used among the different layers of data of the current preservation state and the existing development frameworks for the study area. New thematic cultural routes are proposed to connect tangible cultural heritage and environmental values of the region under study, with the landscape’s geomorphological characteristics and intangible content. Protected areas are also proposed for the protection of monuments and sites of historical or natural importance. The results of this study demonstrate that, through integrated strategic planning for the development of cultural activities and networks, which incorporates the principles of spatial and urban planning, not only is the protection of the natural and cultural wealth of the region achieved, but also a balanced economic development and social cohesion, which ultimately leads to sustainable development.

Keywords: cultural heritage; cultural landscape; sustainable development; cultural routes; intangible cultural heritage (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/12/8/1579/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/12/8/1579/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jlands:v:12:y:2023:i:8:p:1579-:d:1214507

Access Statistics for this article

Land is currently edited by Ms. Carol Ma

More articles in Land from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().