Fortresses as Specific Areas of Urban Greenery Defining the Uniqueness of the Urban Cultural Landscape: Warsaw Fortress—A Case Study

Abstract

The term “fortress landscape” is a holistic one which involves coverage and terrain adapted for defensive purposes. The specificity of the historical heritage of the Polish cultural landscape is expressed in a great number of such objects, some of which have been absorbed by its cities. A case in point is the Warsaw Fortress. A significant part of its fortification has survived to this day. Due to its spatial structure, manner of use and condition, the Fortress constitutes a valuable element of Warsaw’s natural system. At the same time, it should be noted that this element is important due to being a tourist attraction and is an example of qualified military tourism. Military tourism is one of the most popular types of modern tourism. Its elements are frequently integrated into the urban green area system. Moreover, due to its specific spatial structure, the Fortress provides a unique element enriching the cultural landscape of the city. In this paper, a historical background of the Warsaw Fortress is analyzed with a special emphasis on its cultural value and public perception. The methods used in the study include a cultural value assessment, the WNET method, a survey questionnaire and both PCA and PCC statistical methods. The analysis showed that the landscape value of the Fortress received 70% of the maximum possible rating in the conducted survey. What is more, the Warsaw Fortress was also evaluated using all the assessment criteria. The study shows that the entry of the fortress elements into the city’s natural system is perceived as being valuable, although it often lacks a specific program. Consequently, the Warsaw Fortress should be subject to landscape protection with a view towards revitalization, along with introducing a recreational program.

Thinking Deep. Acting on Top. Underground Built Heritage and Its Fringe as a Community Catalyst for Local Sustainable Development: Exploratory Cases from Poland and Greece

“…"Fortress Warsaw" is the belt of fortifications built around Warsaw by imperial Russia in the XIX century. The first constructions of the overall fortress were built in 1832 on the commission of Tsar Nicholas I himself [58]. The decision to transform Warsaw into a fortress was made later in 1879.…”

“…Originally, the function of the entire Warsaw Fortress was tightly linked with defense, and all built structures, both underground and overground, were arranged in accordance with the principles of defense art characteristic of the nineteenth century. The Warsaw Fortress is an example of the unique fortress landscapes on a European scale [58]. All the fortifications included double-layered underground military galleries and were originally connected by underground tunnels [60].…”

Cultural landscape resilience evaluation of Great Wall Villages: A case study of three villages in Chicheng County

“…There is a relatively small body of literature that is concerned with their cultural landscape. And only concern themselves with components of the military cultural landscape [ 31 ], architectural features [ 32 ], and evolutionary mechanisms. As a socio-ecological system, the CLGWVs are in a constant state of flux, characterized by dynamic evolution.…”