The citizens topophilia and the natural urban patrimony: Coimbra’s case study

Abstract

This paper analyzes the importance of natural patrimony in the urban environment, under the prism of geography. The main objective of this study is to understand how nature is perceived in the city of Coimbra (Portugal) and the role that green areas and natural patrimony has in the quality of urban life. To achieve these objectives, this article discusses the conceptual argument about environmental perception, topophilia and the nature in the city. For this, it was used two different procedures: (1) Field analysis on the city of Coimbra with purpose to setting up a photographic database, to verify the presence, conservation and relationship to the natural patrimony inserted in urban environment; (2) Investigation through interviews in two neighborhoods of the city – Vale das Flores and Monte Formoso. The data revealed that the perception and the topophilic relationship to urban green areas are marked by the contradiction between practice and discourse. It was concluded that the presence of natural patrimony in the urban environment still present itself as a secondary issue. Moreover, it was concluded that to strengthen this relationship symbolically and/or functionally the natural patrimony must be present throughout all the continuous urban areas and should not be restricted to elite neighborhoods or parks.