In 2019, alpinism was recognised by UNESCO as an intangible heritage of humanity and “shared culture made up of knowledge of the high-mountain environment, the history of the practice and associated values, and specific skills”. However, alpinism is inextricably linked to mountains – places of extraordinary interest that need to be defended even more. The Alpine landscape protection initiatives address issues of territorial planning, sustainable development, tourism, agriculture, and energy, but it is also essential to consider these topics through the lens of mountains’ historical and cultural values.
One session at the 10th International Congress of the Associazione Italiana di Storia Urbana (Italian Society of Urban History) focused on this very theme. Titled “The mountain landscape between eremitic contemplation, aesthetic attraction and sporting conquest”, the 6.03 session explored current challenges and called for mountains to be protected not only as a natural heritage, but also as cultural heritage.
