The legacy of European Capitals of Culture increases the “smartness” of cities.

What is it about?

Smart Cities; European Capitals of Culture; Legacy; Urban Development

Featured Image

Why is it important?

We assess whether the legacy of the 2012 Guimarães ECOC matched the dimensions proposed by Giffinger et al. (2007) to rank smart cities’ performance. The research showed that the legacy comprises elements of almost all the above-mentioned dimensions. Further, the analysis has revealed that this kind of mega-event reinforces the smartness of the city in which it is hosted in terms of attributes such as living, economy, people and environment. No significant legacy is observed with respect to the mobility dimension.