Florence, Italy: Rides in a Post-Modern Italian Theme Park

Jenkins, Rachel

Publication

Florence, Italy: Rides in a Post-Modern Italian Theme Park

Jenkins, Rachel

Date

2014

Additional date(s)

2014-08-01

Abstract

Steeped in history and commodified through tourism, Florence, Italy has morphed into a post-modern version of itself. My research project analyzes post-modern Florence, focusing on its identity as a Theme Park City. The project consists of four parts: a literature review of relevant articles and books, my synthesis of the literature review in which I propose a new framework of the Theme Park City, my classification of the rides in a Theme Park City, and the application of my framework and classification system to Florence. My framework of the Theme Park City combines five criteria: the city is post-modern, the city is a simulacrum, the city lacks authenticity, the city is transformed by tourism, and the city is commodified. There are two categories in my classification of theme park rides: organic rides and incorporated rides. In Florence I identify and analyze the following rides: the Duomo, Florentine Restaurants, the San Lorenzo Leather Market, the Ponte Vecchio, and American Bars and Pub Crawls.