Perception and Memory of the Urban Space. Guidebooks to Rome between Napoleon and Pius VII (1808-1823)

This article aims to examine how the French authority, and later Pope Pius VII, employed periegetic literature to consolidate their respective positions of power in Rome during the first quarter of the nineteenth century. Indeed, guidebooks proved to be an effective propaganda tool, capable of conveying certain images of Rome that were perfectly in line with the interests of the government in power. The decisions made by the authors and editors inevitably contributed to the promotion of a specific vision of the artistic heritage and influenced the visitor's perception of the city. This can be seen in the organization of the contents, the attention paid to urban monuments, and the deliberate omission of certain information.