Zprávy památkové péče 2017, 77(5):546-549

Railways and landscape

Karel Hájek

Fakulta stavební ČVUT v Praze

In its almost two centuries of development, the railway has drastically influenced the appearance of the modern cultural landscape. Extensive landscaping and civil engineering have left an unmistakable landscape character for these modern line structures. Their application in urban areas and municipalities has also been decisive for the character of the urbanization of the second half of the nineteenth century.
Historic transport buildings, whether for road or water, are relatively few in the countryside. The railroad is the opposite case. The maximum radius of arcs for the directional route and the elevation of the route in a constant gradient resulted in the need to build a number of artificial underpass structures. Efforts to use favorable sloping conditions led to the design of railways in valleys parallel to waterways. Due to the geomorphology, it was necessary to look for ways of designing that would allow the railways to run through mountainous areas as well. A high altitude route is developed as a sloped route using a number of directional slope arcs using artificial structures of railway roadbeds and bridge construction for crossing uneven terrain. In the case of rather isolated routes leading along mountainous plateaus, extensive bridges crossing wide and deep valleys were used. With the development of construction possibilities, tunnels are being built more and more frequently to overcome even dramatic field obstacles.
When a railway station is located away from construction, the connection between railway station and city takes on the role of new city radial and determines the direction of further development. New residential units and industrial plants are set up close to it. With the gradual development of city urbanization, the railway station gradually goes from being located outside the city to being in its wider center. Today the railroad route can be a barrier that prevents further expansion of the city. Nevertheless, it forms an integral part of the urbanized landscape and its place in the transport system is irreplaceable.
The examples presented of historic railway constructions demonstrate the influence of the railway on the development of urbanized spaces and the cultural landscape of the second half of the nineteenth century.

Keywords: railways, transport buildings, civil engineering buildings, railway station, landscape

Published: December 1, 2017  Show citation