Paper

Enhancing the Historical Identity of Jerash by Introducing Greenway Culture

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Abstract

As a city state and as one of the Roman ten cities (Decapolis) Jerash (Gerasa) in Jordan have been populated for over two thousand years. Jerash is divided into two halves; the historic quarter and the modern quarters. Historical areas need to become part of everyday culture that adds a sense of unique identity and not just a historical site to preserve. There are many issues at risk in Jerash. These include quality of life, historical identity, cultural identity, transportation, public safety, and health. The aim of this paper is to protect the past Roman traces while adapting to present demands for green open spaces and greenways. It is proposed that a network of greenways may enhance the cultural and historical value and enrich the city identity and quality of life. This study analyzes the existing conditions and suggests phases for the proposed greenway planning. The compacted modern city is lacking recreational open places and is strongly lacking the historical reference due to the strict disengagement. The main problem is to define the appropriate space organization for a local scale in Jerash. The paper also discusses the feasibility and prospect solutions for such proposal.

Keywords: Greenway planning, Jerash, Jordan, new urbanism, planning, historic and cultural preservation, cultural identity.

How to Cite:

Gharaibeh, A. A., (2010) “Enhancing the Historical Identity of Jerash by Introducing Greenway Culture”, Fábos Conference on Landscape and Greenway Planning 3(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.7275/fabos.917