Page 124 - ΝΑΥΤΙΚΑ ΧΡΟΝΙΚΑ - SEPT 2025

Mission

The reinvention of European waterfronts

by Dr Ilias Bissias

From docks

The riverside transformations
in Cologne
European metropolises are eagerly
seeking to develop – or rather, create –
their public image: a new image that will
attract and charm foreign visitors while
also reflecting the everyday life of their
citizens.
Within this context, it is no coincidence
that many cities in Western Europe,
by taking advantage of European and
regional funding, are focusing on rede-
velopment projects and neighbourhood
improvements, with the aim of turning
them into points of attraction for both
visitors and residents.
In cities where water is – or should be –
a dominant element, such projects tend
to focus on the areas in which the sea,
river, or lake serves both as a landmark
and as a point of historical and cultural
reference. So far, media attention has
primarily focused on the redevelop-
ment of waterfronts in Lisbon, Barce-
lona, Southampton, and Rotterdam.
However, particular interest also lies
in the efforts of German cities, which
are trying to develop their own model,
highlighting riverside areas that once
functioned as trade centres and can
now become hubs of entrepreneurship
and tourism development.
The cities along the Rhine are no excep-

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