The Pope went to Venice and warned of the danger of mass tourism in that city

Pope Francis expressed his “concern” about the threats facing the Italian city of Venice, from… Climate crisis in mass tourism managementHe denounced him during the Mass in St. Mark's Square.

“If we look at this city of Venice today, we admire its enchanting beauty, but we also worry about it Many problems threaten himlamented the Argentine Pope, who visited the ancient city of canals on Sunday.

Among those risks, he pointed to climate change because it “affects the waters of the lake” on which it was built or “The fragility of buildings and their cultural origins“And heritage.

But also because of the problems that affect the lives of its inhabitants: “The difficulty of creating an environment specifically designed for humans Sound tourism management“He said to applause from those close to him. 10,500 believers attended the mass.

“These facts run the risk of generating tense social relations, Individualism and loneliness“to caution.

The Argentine Pope has pledged His first trip outside Rome this year to visit this city for just five hours And the Holy See Pavilion at the 60th Art Biennale.

Venice, the city of canals, has been a World Heritage Site since 1987 but faces… Many problems such as mass tourism And above all, population migration (in its historical center Fewer than 50,000 people now live after years of losing the local population).

Exactly three days earlier, on April 25, A New reservation system to enter the cityHe paid 5 euros, a measure through which the city council wants to manage tourism, although the neighbors consider it useless and only collects revenue.

Last September, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) committee decided not to include the city of Venice on the UNESCO list. List of World Heritage in Danger Under the conservation plan drawn up by the Italian authorities.

Among other things, Traffic of large cruise ships has been divertedWhich previously passed near St. Mark's Square, and a system of mobile dikes was created to isolate the city and prevent the high tides of the Adriatic Sea from submerging it.

The city, a fragile place because it is built on water, suffers particularly from cThe effects of climate change, and in November 2019 it experienced the worst floods since 1966 Due to sea level rising by 187 cm.