Paper

Green Network in Urban Pressure

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Abstract

Budapest is a lucky city from an urban ecological point. Thanks to the Danube cutting through the middle of the city the ventilation of downtown is adequate. The existence of this natural waterflow offers a good possibility to create a green-blue infrastructure, which can be realized in the near future by turning the Pest side embankment partially into recreational open spaces. In spite of the favourable location the air quality of Budapest is often below the critical level, first of all in the city center. Though this unfavourable situation has numerous components- first of all the difficult traffic related problems and the national and international through-traffic in the downtown – in terms of landscape architecture the biggest problem is the isolated green surface system and the lack of linear connecting elements. Due to its morphology, the Buda mountain-chain and the tectonical valleys differing in size and running towards the city center, the Buda side is in a much better position. There are the three major green wedges protruding into the city fabric till the line of the Danube, among which Devil’s Ditch (Ördögárok Creek) is the most intact one and due to its central location and length, probably the most important as well. As north-western wind is prevailing in and around Budapest, this wedge plays an essential role in ventilating the air of the city and contributes to the acceptable air quality of Budapest. This paper aims to introduce the history of the green wedge and corridor along the Devil’s Ditch. The areas next to the creek and at the bottom of the hills - as military protection zone of the Castle- remained unbuilt till the end of 18th century except for the Gellért Hill foot hill and the Tabán area. In the next two centuries some development sites were cut out here and there from the characteristic green wedge. The importance of this ventilating green corridor, although not continuous any more, was realized by the urbanism of the 20th century.

Keywords: greenways, budapest, ecology, Danube

How to Cite:

Bakay, E. & Szilágyi, K., (2016) “Green Network in Urban Pressure”, Fábos Conference on Landscape and Greenway Planning 5(2). doi: https://doi.org/10.7275/fabos.676