Tourist city: it’s not enough to think it, you also have to believe it, especially the elected representatives who sit in Palazzo dei Priori with the responsibility of deciding for everyone.
Can we say that Viterbo is a city for tourists?
Historical heritage aside, can we say, at a glance, that Viterbo is a city for tourists? For those who get off at the station and enter Porta Romana, the only “historical” indication is related to the “Santuario di Santa Rosa XIII century”. All the others report: universities, spas, botanical gardens and shopping centres.
The first indication that appears is a sheet of paper
No trace of the existence of the medieval district of San Pellegrino. Not even walking several meters inside the door: the first indication that appears is a sheet of paper written in pen inserted into a transparent spiral notebook case and attached with brown tape to a pole. Above the sheet some lines: “San Pellegrino in Fiore, follow via delle Fabbriche to the end, 2nd alley, left, via Grotti and exit at San Pellegrino”.
Tourists lost without Google maps
Asking around about the origin of the singular sign, the owner of a shop in the square, Angelo Barghini, says: “I don’t know who made it. I found it here. Tourists continually ask where San Pellegrino is. There isn’t a sign. Someone must have thought of putting it there. Of all the mayors who have been there, none has spent 20 euros to place a sign here.”
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You have to get to the beginning of via Cavour to find the first sign for San Pellegrino
To find the first sign of the existence of San Pellegrino you have to get to the beginning of via Cavour. Here three arrows indicate: medieval San Pellegrino district, cathedral and ceramic museum – Palazzo Brugiotti”. The first and, for many other meters, the last indication. To find another one, you need to get to the intersection between via San Lorenzo and piazza della Morte. Useful sign for those, perhaps few, who in the meantime have not gotten lost in the network of alleys.
Signage, public toilets and custodial service
“The tourist signs should be seriously strengthened on all four entrance gates to the city Porta Romana, Porta Fiorentina, Porta Faul, Porta San Pietro”, says Giampaolo Serone of Archeoares who highlights another problem: “We need to think about an arrangement and a reopening of the existing public toilets, located between Piazza Fontana Grande, Porta Fiorentina and Sacrario, and a custodial service should also be provided, perhaps by making agreements with associations, so that without supervision you reopen them and close them after a short while”.
Tiziana Mancinelli
FULL ARTICLE IN THE VITERBO COURIER OF 10 MAY – DIGITAL NEWSSTAND
