Answer:
My impression would be that it is a run down or poorer area. Closed shops give off a feeling of unfriendliness and find of a small town feel. With no chain stores there is probably no one who needs them or they didn’t think it would be a good idea to put one in. Building proper up would make you think that they don’t have the money to get it repaired or it’s abandoned. This usually means it doesn’t have rich or well off people living in them. Probably students or people without good jobs in an expensive city like Seattle or Los Angeles.
Making Christianity as the main religion of Rome was one of the factors that led to the downfall of the empire. The emperor was regarded as one of the gods before Christianity came then the aftermath of the change of religion made the emperor not credible to his own people. Rome was also headed by incompetent leaders both in the military and government. Then the divided empire was overthrown by barbaric tribes.
True the nationalist party did ultimately win the Spanish Civil War.....