Tour groups, temporary routes and toilets: the reshaping of Rome
Photographer Lorenzo Grifantini looks at how the Italian capital’s historic centre has gradually reorganised itself around the uninterrupted flow of visitors and the expectations projected on to it
TL;DR
- The historic center of Rome is adapting to the massive scale of tourism with temporary barriers, queues, and portable toilets becoming common.
- Visitors often photograph landmarks through their phones before engaging with them directly.
- The city's public spaces are increasingly characterized by waiting, circulation, and constant exposure to crowds.
- Souvenir kiosks selling various items are prevalent near major tourist attractions.
- The experience of Rome is becoming organized around movement, visibility, and repetition, catering to visitor expectations.
- Rome is becoming a prototype for historic cities reorganized around the rhythms and behaviors of their visitors.