Space and Time in the Periegetic Literature in Rome (XVII–XIX Century)

Alessio Ciannarella, M.A.

For centuries, guidebooks have accompanied pilgrims and foreigners to discover Rome's historical, artistic and religious heritage. How did these books influence the visitors' perception of the city? What role did the periegetic literature play in the process of constructing and promoting Rome's identity between the 17th and 19th century?
The present research aims to reflect on these issues by analyzing the criteria adopted by authors in writing guidebooks. For this purpose, the project includes the elaboration of a digital map, which, through the use of a geographic information system (GIS), will make it possible to compare routes that were suggested, buildings that were described, and views that were reproduced in the main guidebooks of Rome.
To establish which were the peculiar characteristichs of these volumes also proves essential for understanding how the visiting experience has evolved over the centuries, especially between the 18th and 19th century, when the Ancien Régime traveler gradually gives way to the modern tourist.