Heritage expertise and tram closures in the World Heritage City of Toruń, Poland

Abstract

This paper examines to what extent heritage considerations guided the closure of an operating tramline in Toruń's Old Town prior to its designation as a World Heritage City. The study is based on an analysis of local newspapers’ articles over a decade, encompassing the period before and after the tramline was closed. Additionally, it incorporates evaluations of historical public transport maps, content analysis of public consultation reports and expert interviews. The closure's narratives drew on factors including safety, operating costs, modernisation, and the promotion of tourism, all carefully tailored to confer legitimacy upon the decision. While heritage considerations and heritage experts’ opinions may have contributed indirectly to the formulation of policy, these elements were entirely absent from the narratives of justifications preceding the tramline's closure. The study traces, following the tramline's closure, a marked evolution in the narrative, which came progressively to emphasise the protection of Toruń's cultural heritage.