The Church Garden As an Element Shaping the Quality of City Life
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Annals of Warsaw University of Life Sciences – SGGW Horticulture and Landscape Architecture No 36, 2015: 71–92 (Ann. Warsaw Univ. Life Sci. – SGGW, Horticult. Landsc. Architect. 36, 2015) The church garden as an element shaping the quality of city life – a case study in southern Warsaw MAàGORZATA KACZYēSKA*, DOROTA SIKORA Department of Landscape Art, Warsaw University of Life Sciences – SGGW Abstract: The church garden as an element Key words: garden, church, churchyard, quality shaping the quality of city life – a case study in of life, Warsaw southern Warsaw. The aim of the research was to identify the forms of presently existing gardens INTRODUCTION surrounding sacral buildings in the city, to verify how the presence of these gardens improves the State of knowledge quality of life, and to determine whether their model as shaped in the medieval period is still Sacral buildings located in a city are current. The research covered the gardens of 22 churches within the southern Warsaw deaner- often surrounded by designed green ar- ies of Wilanów, SáuĪew and Ursynów. The con- eas. Churchyards perform the role of a tribution of the analyzed sacral complexes to transitional zone between the Sacred of improvement of the inhabitants’ quality of life is a temple and the Profane of an inhabited revealed in several of their functions: as histori- area. They are often garden composi- cally shaped spaces of prayer and contemplation, tions consisting of lawns, À ower-beds, important for spiritual life; as biologically active areas, increasing the biological potential of the shrubs, trees, and elements of symbolic city; as recreational areas; and as city landscape meaning such as Stations of the Cross, dominants building a local identity. The results memorials, shrines, votive crosses or show that the majority of the analyzed church ¿ gures of saints [Mitkowska and Siew- gardens serve as meeting places for local inhabit- niak 1998]. They are used as a place ants. Within most of the complexes, biologically of celebration of some church services active space accounts for 50–60% of the total. [Mitkowska and Siewniak 1998], parish Nearly half of the complexes are spatially con- nected with other natural areas. Furnishings of the fairs and festivities [Nadrowski 2008]. church gardens are similar to those of other city They are also places where people can green areas – benches, lanterns and À ower-pots calm down and concentrate before en- are the most frequent. A pathway encircling the tering the church, and so they should church, used during processions, is found within be laid out so as to favor the creation of the majority of the complexes, although often the such an atmosphere [StĊpieĔ 1982 and pathway systems are more developed. Sculptural Nadrowski 2008]. The authors assume and small architectonic elements related to reli- gious symbolism occur within nearly half of the that church gardens located within dense complexes. urban developments are also valuable resources of biologically active areas, * e-mail: [email protected] which, despite their usually small size, 72 M. KaczyĔska, D. Sikora improve the quality of life in the city. M. SzafraĔska [1998]. The vegetation of Green urban areas, even those of small European medieval gardens, including size, can improve the microclimate and cloister gardens, is discussed in works favor well-being [Forsyth and Musac- by P. Hobhouse [1997] and M. Milecka chio 2005, Mega 2010]. Church gar- [2009, 2012]. dens may be an example of such areas at Church gardens are less frequently neighborhood level. Areas surrounding discussed in the literature. Worthy of sacral buildings nowadays perform new mention are numerous publications on functions related to recreation and edu- English churchyards located both in cation: they may contain playgrounds the countryside and in the urban land- for children, secular displays and exhibi- scape. These provide information on tions, aviaries, and Christmas cribs with the churchyard’s form and its evolution, real animals. Information about such plant selection and social use, in both new activities can be found on many historical and contemporary contexts. parishes’ websites and journals. All of Recent publications refer to modern this proves that church gardens can be approaches to churchyard care and em- valuable sites in the urban landscape, phasize a growing recognition of their important for different groups of local biodiversity value. Examples of such inhabitants. publications include those of N. Cooper Generally, the subject of gardens [1995, 1996, 2001, 2012] and M. Child surrounding sacral buildings in Poland [2007]. Among recent noteworthy pub- and Central Europe is not frequently ad- lications in Poland are “The sacral gar- dressed in scholarly works. Usually, the den – the idea and the reality” [Kozakie- issue of gardens is mentioned in publica- wicz-Opaáka et al. 2008], which contains tions dealing with the larger urban con- articles dealing with cloister and church text of the temple. An exception is clois- gardens, and “The Sacred in the histori- ters, whose gardens are well described cal gardens and the symbolism of their in the literature, usually with regard to vegetation” [Mitkowska and Siewniak the historical aspect. The principles of 1997], which contains articles dealing the composition of European cloister with green areas surrounding pilgrim- gardens have been described by P. Hob- age sanctuaries. Many sacral buildings house [2000] and E. Barlow Rogers and their garden surroundings, espe- [2001]. The monastery garden is also the cially historical monuments, have been subject of a publication by W. Braunfels described in monographs. An example [1993]. The symbolism of the Paradise of such a publication is one devoted garden and its representations on Earth to the church in SáuĪew (Warsaw) and are analyzed by J. Delumeau [1996]. its surroundings [Soátan-Lipska 2013]. The principles of composition of Polish There appear to be no scholarly publica- cloister gardens are discussed by G. Cio- tions describing the church gardens and áek [1954], L. Majdecki [1981], J. Bog- cloister gardens of southern Warsaw in danowski [2000], M. Milecka [2009] and a comprehensive manner. The chuch garden as an element shaping... 73 Historical forms of layout of church not allowed to possess their own land surroundings “except necessary terrain next to the cloister building, which could be exclu- Churches and cloisters have been im- sively used as a garden” [Cioáek 1954]. portant elements of the urban landscape The cloister garden was always the most since medieval times. Their architecton- important symbolic space. It represented ic form and their towers dominating the the idea of the celestial Paradise which city skyline have been a visual mark of was to be reached through contempla- the substantial role played by the Church tion. The symbolism of a square, the in the process of civilization. In the Mid- number four (rivers of Paradise, evan- dle Ages, principles were established gelists, cardinal virtues) contained in the concerning the shaping of the surround- cloister garden and elements like wells ings of the Christian sacral building, as or fountains favored comprehension and well as models of its location in the ur- contemplation of the religious content. ban structure. These models were copied The cloister garden was also used by the in the following centuries. monks as a place of recreation, to exer- The functional program of the clois- cise both body and mind. This tradition ters, which included also gardens, origi- may have been transferred from the gar- nated from the idea of the Roman cas- den courtyards in the antique gymnasi- trum and villa, and its principles were ums [SzafraĔska 1999]. The medieval clearly presented in the drawing of the cloister was almost self-suf¿ cient. Its model plan of the Benedictine abbey well-developed economic and educa- in Sankt Gallen [D’Alfonso and Samss tional program, including also horticul- 1997]. This program included a clois- ture, enabled it to provide food for both ter garden, a herbaceous garden, used monks and pilgrims. Cloister schools both for curative and culinary purposes, also widely promoted effective forms of a cemetery and an orchard, which occu- cultivation, partially taking advantage pied the same area, and a vegetable gar- of the antique literature preserved in the den connected to the gardener’s house. cloister libraries [Böhm 1994]. Sometimes the whole cloister was called In the medieval period also parish a garden, in reference to Paradise, and the terrain of some Orthodox cloisters churches, especially cathedrals, acquired was entirely planted with fruit trees, pro- a proper setting for their rank and func- viding “redemption fruits” [SzafraĔska tion – a square, which referred to the 1999]. In forti¿ ed cities, where space antique forum [D’Alfonso and Samss was lacking, this program was reduced, 1997]. This can also be seen in the as can be seen in the cloisters of men- modern churchyards surrounding sacral dicant and preacher orders such as the buildings. In the vicinity of many medi- Franciscans, Dominicans and Poor eval churches, mostly behind the apse, Clares, who according to their monas- places called paradise were established. tic rule were obliged to settle in densely They served to cultivate À owers to deco- populated zones. Until 1237 they were rate the altars, holy statues and shrines 74 M. KaczyĔska, D. Sikora [Barlow Rogers 2011]. Cathedrals, even bars. The form Ordo visitationis from those located within dense urban de- the early 15th century indicates that it velopments, often had a cloister garden was important to “be able to distinguish [StĊpieĔ 1982]. the sacred from the non-sacred” [Bis and In England in the medieval period Bis 2013]. a churchyard was open to almost any It was the Edict of Nantes of 1777 kind of event. Parish activities taking that ¿ rst forbade burial within the place within the churchyard depended churchyard for sanitary reasons and or- on the priest who held it in freehold, and dered the necropolis to be established usually fostered activities from which he outside the city borders.