Boulevards, squares, squares, parks, alleys and gardens are the main landscaping objects that can be found in any major city. But in this article we will focus only on city parks and squares.
Green spaces and their place in the city system
It is hard to imagine a modern city without green spaces. Parks and squares have always played an important role in the life of a city dweller. So, even in Ancient Greece, trees and bushes were planted in rows along the roads and near the walls of large buildings. But in the cities of the Roman Empire, there was a tradition to lay the so-called "sacred groves" - the prototypes of modern squares.
The role and importance of green spaces in modern large cities is very difficult to overestimate. After all, they do not just purify the air, absorb harmful substances and protect people's homes from dust and noise. They also provide a spiritual connection between man and nature. In other words, a park or a city square is a kind of "portal" that connects the natural world with the human body torn from it.
What is a park?
The term "park" has Latin roots and translates as "fenced offIt is worth noting that until the end of the 18th century, the word "garden" was used in Europe, although today it is sometimes used to refer to some city parks (for example, the City Garden in Odessa).
The park is one of the main landscaping objects in the city, which is designed for recreation and entertainment of its residents. In any such place, there are necessarily groups of tree and shrub plantations, flower beds, glades, a system of alleys, as well as various small architectural forms (fountains, sculptures, gazebos, etc.).
The square is…
From English the word square can be translated as "square". The square is one of the forms of landscaping of urban space, intended for short-term recreation of citizens. It differs from the park only in its smaller size. The area of a city square usually does not exceed two hectares.
In recreational geography and urban planning, one can find several classifications of city squares. So, in size they are:
- small (up to 0.5 hectares);
- medium (0.5-1 ha);
- large (more than 1 hectare).
Distinguished by shape:
- round squares;
- square;
- rectangular;
- elongated (boulevards), etc.
According to the composition of green spaces, the mentioned objects are divided into:
- coniferous;
- deciduous;
- mixed.
There are also children's, sports, memorial squares and others.
Main functions of city squares
A square in a large city should perform the following set of functions:
- recreational;
- psychological-relaxation;
- aesthetic;
- environmental;
- cognitive;
- educational.
However, the main functions of any landscaping object in the city are ecological and recreational. In other words, green spaces should contribute to the emotional rest of a person after work, as well as ensure his inextricable genetic connection with nature.
In conclusion…
Square is one of the main forms of landscaping urban space. In the settlement, it is designed to perform several functions at once: recreational, ecological, educational, aesthetic and educational.
