Place attachment and challenges of historic cities

A study on the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Santa Ana de los Ríos de Cuenca reveals that place attachment—rooted in place dependency and sense of place—plays a pivotal role in shaping residential and investment trends among both local inhabitants and foreign immigrants. The research, based on an open-ended survey combined with Likert-scale analysis, highlights significant differences in how these groups perceive cultural heritage and prioritize location choices. These insights suggest that leveraging place attachment can inform effective built heritage policies aimed at fostering local sustainability. The findings also underscore the need for targeted management strategies to address challenges faced by historic cities, particularly those balancing preservation with modernization.

Garcia, G., Vandesande, A., & van Balen, K. (2018). Place attachment and challenges of historic cities. Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development, 8(3), 387–399. https://doi.org/10.1108/jchmsd-08-2017-0054