The effects of the contemporaneity on the urban and tourist development of Ravenna, Fortress of falling empire

Once capital of the Western Roman Empire during the 5th century, the city of Ravenna became Exarchate of the Eastern Empire under Emperor Justinian, in the 6th century. Strong of its wealth and uniqueness of the Byzantine churches and mosaics of this period, Ravenna has, for a long time, founded a florid tourist flow. After centuries under Venetian and Papal dominion, Ravenna found its strength only in the second half of the 20th century thanks to important improving to its marshy territory. In the fifties, a wide industrial pole was built, allowing the city to expand toward the sea so creating new urban areas destined to accommodate additional population. The tourist flow, until then relegated to the mere visit of the artistic heritage, increased just before the nineties, when, Ravenna became the most important chemical pole in Italy which made possible big capital investments for works never before conceived. Many steps have been done to build the premises for a significant touristic attraction that would satisfy all the necessities and tourist categories such as the Ravenna Festival, which is today one of the most appreciated for symphonic music, or like the amusement park "Mirabilandia", currently the second in Italy for size and visitors, or the upgrade of the seaside resort of Marina Di Ravenna from a quiet summer residence of middle class citizens to a place of reference for juvenile "movida" all of which helped a substantial economic revenue. This project aims to analyze the urban, touristic and social development of the city of Ravenna.