I’ve been to Rome many times, and I’m always enchanted, like last week. Some critics say that Rome is an open-air museum, but that’s not fair. Sure, there are lots of tourists around, but that has been the case with Rome for over 2000 years.
What makes Rome so enchanting is its humanity. The scale of the streets and buildings is human; people work and live there, and visitors feel welcome. The structure of the old center of Rome is organic, as you can clearly see on the Nolli map from 1748.
Some parts of Rome are a bit worn-out, and would need investments, like the metro. It is interesting to see how modern structures seem to be much more prone to wear and tear than the ancient ones. There are around 100.000 tourists visiting Rome every day, and the number is increasing. Tourism has a negative effect on the built and natural environment, but surely a positive effect on economics. I hope that Romans know how to balance the equation so that we can visit Rome in the future - without ruining it.
Part of the Nolli Map from 1748.
Photo: Aarni Heiskanen.
