This work raises many questions about the role of cultural heritage in cities through the lens of a unique case study: Matera and its double anointing as a Unesco World Heritage Site and European Capital of Culture.

For several years now, more and more towns and cities have been trying to outdo each other in ingenious attempts to secure the title "European Capital of Culture." Examining the singular case of Matera, a medium-sized southern Italian city that obtained two titles (Unesco World Heritage in 1993 and European Capital of Culture in 2019), this richly illustrated study takes readers behind the scenes of the selection process, interweaving several disciplines (architecture, urban history, anthropology) and drawing on varied and never-before-seen sources. In an era defined by competition among nations and increasingly among cities— which major metropolitan areas often win—this book more generally questions the effects of such titles on the makeup of medium-sized cities.
A podcast to listen to, in French: Labeling and urban manufacturing, Matera's revenge? With Marina Rotolo
https://podcast.ausha.co/lsdm/labellisation-et-fabrique-urbaine-la-revanche-de-matera