From Conservation to Revitalization. Ambiguous and Critical Conditions in the Heritage Conservation Experiences of Erice

The plans and the evolutionary trends of policies and practices implemented in Erice old town, in the south of Italy, in the western part of Sicily, can be considered a case study of total conservation as highly representative of Italian urban planning of the last 60 years. This paper aims to deal with the actual problems and the perspective of sustainable development of the historical centre of Erice, by adopting the approach of urban and territorial regeneration. This paper also highlights the historical and cultural context in which the Gubbio Charter (issued in 1960) is affirmed; i.e. the most appropriate approaches to historical urban centres; what we can learn from Erice’s integral co…