Műemlékvédelem, 2020 (64. évfolyam, 1-6. szám)

2020 / 3. szám - Körmendy Imre: A város és identitása

A VÁROS ÉS IDENTITÁSA Körmendy Imre Palóczi-díjas építészmérnök, urbanista; ny. tudományos munkatárs, Szent István Egyetem; a Savaria Urbanisztikai Nyári Egyetem tanácsának elnöke; a Magyar Urbanisztikai Társaság örökös tiszteletbeli elnöke. E-mail: kormendy.imre@fokolare.hu THE CITY AND ITS IDENTITY The three elements of the city’s identity: the identity of the physical totality of the city, the identity of the city dwellers as a community and the identity of people who live there and who come from there. The components of the first can be divided into three parts: visual, cartographic, and ideological layers. Elements of community identity: local language, customs, retaining and inclusion. The identity of individuals is divided into two parts: the conscious and the unconscious. Visual layers are of paramount importance because we remember primarily by vision. This is a well-elaborated topic in the literature, it is only worth adding that both the natural and the artificial elements and their relationship are important. Among the cartographic layers, the settlement structure, the plot system, the system of public spaces, the survey of the key horizon and the underground world (archeology, geology, cellars - caves) have particular importance. Prominent authors help to formulate the ideological layers: ‘It is not its buildings that make the town a town. Its tradition is not in the towers, but in the memories. The city begins where it obliges.’ (Gyula Illyés), ‘A city is above all an idea that does not fit in the land register.’ (Sándor Márai), ‘A city is basically permanent; its inhabitants inadvertently develop some sense of solidarity.’ (Eva Forgács) Individual identity: ‘One cannot articulate what he feels, it is impossible. The feeling somehow remains gelatinous, it does not solidify, it just touches the consciousness.’ (Magda Szabó) There is also a city and district identity: ‘Our relationship with the hometown will become more intimate and complicated over the years.’ (Sándor Márai) Everyone also has their own responsibility for how they see things, what they perceive. A town has been living with its surroundings for thousands of years and, as a center, it plays a significant role in the identity of the region too. Guidelines for the renewal of historic cities/districts: ‘The past is not behind us, but below us. We are standing or walking on it.’, ‘Tradition means giving votes to the most obscure of all classes, our ancestors.’ (G. K. Chesterton), ‘No reality is more essential to our self-awareness than history.’, ‘Our lives will be richer if past and present illuminate each other.’ (K. Jaspers) 135

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