The threat today is the depopulation, wild tourism and the sale of the city to foreign investors. With less than 50 thousand residents and more beds for tourists than inhabitants, the Serenissima empties identity. And the alarm applies throughout Italy.
“In a few years Venice will no longer be there,” said WWF in 1993. “Within ten years Venice will drown,” assured a professor from Padua in 1994. Instead Venice is still here. Fortunately, ours, and from all over the world. But the real risk comes now. And not for what was thought. In fact, all types of environmental disaster had been foreseen, eco-cathaster scenarios of any kind had been painted, we were ready to see the deck bridge connecting directly with the Fossa delle Marianne and the dome of San Marco disappear under the water to leave room for the dome of Palermo (caustic comment of a Venetian: “Well, xe we are carried on: in Burano we already have the lace …”). None of this happened. But now Venice risks sinking for other reasons: not for the flood of the lagoon, but the void of people. Not for the flood of the calls, but for the desert of the houses. The high water is no longer frightening. It is the low population.
As Gian Antonio Stella noted on the Corriere della Sera 48,283 people remained to live in Venice. Twelve thousand less than in 2008, a quarter compared to 174,808 of 1951. On the other hand there are 51,129 tourists, of which 23,627 Bed & Breakfast, to which must be added the abusive ones. In the Venice-Murano-Burano Municipalities, the percentage of the houses left empty is 36 percent. On the other hand, the city is invaded by the rods of visitors, to the delight of the pickpockets, who seem unstoppable (“one we stopped 28 times, he always returned free after a few hours”, he complained to the microphones of Out of the choir The mayor Luigi Brugnaro). The invasion of tourists makes, in addition to thieves, also the souvenir retailers soon, the street vendors and the USA & throw food. According to Confesercenti out of 2,968 Venice activities, 1,145, just under half are dedicated to the administration of food and drinks. Obviously with the prevalence of fast food, to eat on the street.
Result? There is really the risk that in a few years Venice is no longer there. The very Serenissima prophecy perhaps this time comes true. But to overwhelm the city is not the anomalous wave of the sea, as has been feared for years: it is rather the anomalous wave of visitors. In fact, the anomalous wave of the sea was stopped by the Mose, the system of bulkheads which, although born among a thousand controversies, waste and scandals, now proves to work. Who stops the anomalous wave of visitors? On the contrary, there are those who would like to increase it: the idea that spreads, and that someone supports openly, is to close the last historical shops and to expel still residents to transform Piazza San Marco and surroundings into a globalized luxury village, the “shopville” of famous brands and jewelers, a kind of permanent exposure for rich in search of a Photoshoppare selfie. The risk is that the flood is really there, but of Chanel number 5, as will be at the end of June on the occasion of Jeff Bezos’ super wedding: three days of exclusive parties with the lady who will change 27 clothes, $ 30 million budgets, all booked hotels and an entire occupied island.
After all, how to be surprised? The Islands of Venice are almost all at auction. The Rose Island will be bought by the Germans or Americans (140 million euros). That of San Clemente went to the Turks. The island of Santo Spirito awaits a buyer (nine million euros), that of Poveglia as well. The Americans also bought themselves the famous Ca ‘Dario on the Grand Canal, the French have Palazzo Grassi, Punta della Dogana and Palazzo Vedramin Grimani, Belgium put its flag on Palazzo Diedo, the Swiss on Palazzo Trevisan Cappello and Palazzo Morosini Foscarini. The British have the Hotel Baglioni, the Cypriots the Bauer. A Chinese entrepreneur instead purchased Palazzo Pisani Moretta, the one where the historic doge dance takes place. And his compatriots made shops and companies: according to the Venice Chamber of Commerce, the Chinese entrepreneurs active in the city are 1,018. The Venetians flee, the dragon advances.
And the fear is that what is happening In such an evident way in Venice it can happen sooner or later to many of our cities. Think about it: how many shops have been closed throughout Italy? How many historical shops no longer reopen? How many inhabited centers are emptying? How many are on sale to the enchantment? How many pieces of our country are losing their soul to become open -air museum, fun parks for tourists, territory of conquest for Danarosi foreigners?
We have inherited from our fathers a country full of energy, now we are devitalizing it like a carriage tooth. It will remain little if we don’t do anything to save him. Why don’t we start from Venice? n
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