Tsaoysi Anastasia Sofia (sofitsaousi@outlook.com) Undergraduate Student – University of West Attica.Department of Tourism Management

This study deals with Literary tourism, and its importance in regional development. As a form of tourism which is gaining ground and not only does it contribute to the economical growth of the place, but also projects its cultural heritage. Τhis is what we consider to be most importance. With a case study Pirandello who win the Nobel Prize triew to prove both the value and the importance of this peculiar kind of cultural tourism. The purpose of this study is to promote the place where Pirandello lived and inspired his artwork. With that way helps visitors to retrospect and experience the writer’s thought and life.

In this way the visitor will have the opportunity to understand and to know better the writer and the place where he lived, the Sicily.

KEY WORDS: Literary tourism, cultural, Pirandello, Kazantzakis, Sicily

Literary tourism which is an ascendant kind of tourism, established in London and then in the Europe. It is recognised when most of the readers wanted to explored the places where their favorite actors and characters resided, played their roles and the places where are gone through by them. Except for the characters, important role has the writer too. The books’ whiter has  huge influence on his audience. In this day and age the literary tourism is booming and that conductive to the nation’s revenius. This kind of writer is Luigi Pirandello.(Manola,2019)

Luigi Pirandello1 had the opportunity to change his misfortune to achievement. His family infelicity made him to stay next to his mentally disturbed wife. By that incident he managed to have a different sight of life and the way who confront his daily life. Pirandello was so prolific and talented so most of Greeks are both involved and influenced by him. Nikos Kazantzakis and Matesis, two of the most talented writers, are affected by Pirandello and wrote some artworks based on his way of write. (Manola,2020a) His performances have a huge interenting both in Greece and Globally.(Manola,2020b)  His philosophy is a timeless tourism product. The Italias deployed his talend and his philosophy for their benefit. It is created a huge tourism interest in Sicily by his name and this is rofitable for Italy’s ecomony. The literary tourism industry through the literary routes but also the renovation of the House Museum both in its birthplace and in Rome but also with events that it organizes in honor of the playwright and attracts domestic and international tourism (Manola 2020b).

The writer refer to his house in Agrigento by his literature artworks. This house was the source of his inspiration and also he spent his childhood there. This House is restored and is working as museum now. In the first floor of that museum-house take place temporary exhibitions which are dedicated to Luigi Pirandello. His photographs, letters, memoirs and books, which are the first editions with dedications in, various posters, paintings and various reviews related to his books, are in the museum on a permanent basis. It is open every day and its fare is 4euro. Apart from his house, there are created some routes inspired of him and the places where he lived and wrote hia artworks2. Pirandello’s routes have benefited Sicily and Italy.  The Routes of Pirandello are determinated and if you are a tourism in Agrigento, you have to follow them. Through his novels and artworks, you imagine and undestand about the world that he lived. The stories, the narratives and the characters of his books make both Agrigento and the Italy very interesting and one experience that you must travel and explore it3.

Luigi Pirandello describes the city where he lived through many of his books. He describes it through in his view and from books such as Ritondo (return), Visto che non piove (it does not rain), Il turno (the shift), Il vitalizio ( The repair), La casa del Granella (Grannella’s house), I vecchi ie Giovani (the old and the new). From these books these educational-tourist routes were created, and you learn about the way of his life and where he lived.

• The first route to be followed is the Il Caos, Villaseta, Porto Empedocle. The name of Chaos is named because of the suburb where he born that was called like that.(Agrigento, Luigi Pirandello and Kaos). But it could take his name from his turbulent, chaotic life full of upheavals. In his bibliography, it describes his turbulent life. (Manola, 2020b)
• The second route that will follow after the Chaos is Giardina Gallotti, Frazione San Michele, Comitini, Aragona, Milocca. Giardina Gallotti is an Agrigento village, as are the villages of San Michele, Comitini, Aragona, Milocca, which have become famous through his novels. The town of Comitini, built on a hill and gained life thanks to his uncle’s mines, which also lost it. (Manola, 2020b)

• The third route is La Colimbetra, I Templi, La Chiesa di San Nicola, l’Osteria del Cacciatore, L’Hotel des Temples. The Valley of the Temples is the largest valley, which consists of many archaeological temples, which are based on Greek architecture. It is considered one of the most important monuments in the area, as it is also on the UNESCO World Heritage List. (Manola, 2020b)
• In addition to the many temples, there is also the Colimbetra Garden. Like Pirandello, all the tourists who visit this place are enchanted. Its roots are dated to around 500 BC, that time when the Greeks colonized Sicily. This landscape is  clearly depicted in „The old and the young“ by Luigi Pirandello4.
• The fourth route is Il Cimitero di Bonamorone, il Culmo delle Forche, La Rupe Atenea, il Convento di San Vito. (Manola, 2020b)
• The fifth route is Il Piano Sanfilippo, La Chiesa di San Calogero, La Passeggiata, Villa Catalisano. Villa Catalisano dates back to the 20th century and was one of the author’s residences.
• The sixth route is Via San Pietro, Chiesa di San Pietro, San Francesco, Via delle Mura, Chiesa di Santa Lucia. (Manola, 2020b)
• The seventh route is Municipio, Rabato, Chiesa di Santa Croce.
• The eighth route is Via Atenea, Via Ficani, Piano Gamez, Santo Spirito, u Poju, Consolato Inglese, San Vincenzo, Bibirria.
• The last but not least route are Via Duomo, Chiesa dell’Itria, Biblioteca Lucchesiana, Palazzo Vescovile, Cattedrale di San Gerlando, Vicolo Arco di Spoto. (Manola, 2020b)
•  

Except from the Pirandello’s Routes an important monument is his grave. His grave is the main reason tha most of tourism visit Agrigento. In this tomb there is a big pine tree which in its foothills is placed his burial vessel, in which he contained his ashes.After a natural disaster, the tree suffered from irreparable damage in 1997. (Manola,2019)But beyond the pine, its tomb consists of a stone designed by sculptor Marino Mazzacurati, which is said that it is moving!

The house where Pirandello lived , he was awarded the Nobel Prize and died it was the Casa di Pirandello.It is located at 13b Avia de Antonio Bosio in an apartment building at 1910. The house are included all the furniture that the author has had . This apartment consists of two rooms, the bedroom and the office. Many of his masterpieces are finished in this house, also many of his own things are there like several of his clothes, his priceless typewriter and his wand.(Manola,2020b)

Since 1961, has been hosted the Institute of Pirandello Studies and Contemporary observation. The library museum contains many valuable manuscripts, printed bibliographic relics, theatrical books as well as various souvenirs and objects related to the Nobel Agringento.

Both his artwork and his life makes you to visit Sicily. Lots of people combine their holidays in Italy with a guided tour in the place where Pirandello lived and inspired his work. There are lots of places to visit there. A great deal of Restaurants ,hotels and stores are named by him and also dedicated to him. One theater And one plaza are also named by him. Inside the theater there are arts which are created by famous painters the  Giuseppe Belloni , Luigi Sacco, Antonio Tavella.

Not only the townsfolk but also the mayor of the town take advantage of him  with various events, festivals, celebrations with the result of increasing of the local tourism. For example, on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the author’s birth, Strada degli Scrittori, under the chairmanship of Felice Cavalloro, organized a 7-day festival in Agringento. In that festival were presented important people who had relation with literature. Apart from the literary tourism, Agrigento managed to become famous in Cultural Tourism too. With that occasion Italy’s revenue was increased. These festivals could give prominence to the cultural, natural and traditional beauties of the country.

One festival is taking place thanks to the author’s talent and in his MS for 20 years. This festival is called Pirandello Stable Festival, which starts on June 28, on his birthday and lasts until September. it takes place in Chaos, the area where he was born and was his parental home there. In this festival, take place theatrical performances, narratives, musicals and many exhibitions. This year’s festival program began with the representation of Pirandello’s work., the „Cece“ and „The Man with a Flower in His Mouth“. This works are very popular everywhere and are loved by lot of people according to Redazione Scrivo Libero, 2020.

In addition to festivals in his hometown, other countries are benefited too. The Pirandello stable festival, which took place in Scandinavia in 2017 with the theme „Pirandello and the Scandinavian culture“. It was a great success as it combined two different literary worlds. (Vinciguerra, 2018)

The successful tour of the Pirandello stable festival started in Europe and specifically in Malta in 2017, and then in Stockholm, Oslo, Athens, Warsaw and Beijing to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Pirandello’s birth. (Vinciguerra, 2017)

BIBLIOGRAPHY

• Marco Sicily, Agrigento, Luigi Pirandello and Kaos (Chaos), Private Italy Tours, https://www.private-italy.com/sicily/marcos-sicily-agrigento-luigi-pirandello-and-kaos-chaos/, 6/12/2020
• Visit Sicily, VallJohn Humphreys Whitfieldey of the Temples in Agrigento, https://www.visitsicily.info/en/valley-of-the-temples/ , 8/12/2020
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• MANOLA,M.(2019) LITERATURE TOURISM CULTURE , Athens, Tsotra ς
• Petri Liukkonen, Luigi Pirandello (1867-1936),Books and Writers, 2008-2019, http://authorscalendar.info/pirandel.htm,3/1/2021
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