Urban regeneration of open public spaces as a tool for the strengthening of cultural tourism: the example of the historic core of Smederevo

The position of the Serbian city of Smederevo on the Danube River, the second longest river and an important waterway in Europe, offers exceptional benefits for tourism, which is considered as an important sector for local economic prospects. Smederevo also owns significant cultural heritage, such as a preserved medieval Smederevo Fortress. Rich heritage, as well as local culture and tradition, can be the drivers to attract new visitors, who already travel along the Danube. There are certain obstacles for the development of cultural tourism in Smederevo, too. First of all, cultural heritage is scattered along the historical core of the city with numerous open public spaces. The current state of these spaces is characterised by poor equipment and connections, occupancy by parked cars, lack of adequate maintenance, and reduced security. This is particularly visible along the Danube River, which represents a great limitation for the entire city. The consequence of these deficiencies is the diminished use of these spaces and the small number of tourists despite significant potential. In accordance with the previous problem, there is a need for the urban regeneration of the open public spaces of Smederevo, eventually achieving a double goal: their functional and physical regeneration, as well as connecting these spaces into a unique network. This is also the goal of this paper – to propose appropriate ways of the functional and physical improvement of open public spaces in the historic core of Smederevo by researching urban regeneration options. The expected results are the identified models of open public spaces of the city whose content and appearance positively influence the intensity of social interaction. As such, these spaces can significantly improve the cultural-tourist offer of this Danube town