Cultural Landscape (Meaning and Explanation)

We explain what the cultural landscape is, its elements, characteristics and various examples. Also, differences with the natural landscape.

cultural landscape quebrada de humahuaca purmamarca hill of seven colors — In the Quebrada de Humahuaca, cultural heritage is combined with natural beauty.

What is the cultural landscape?

The cultural landscape It is the result of human actions in a specific natural territory. It comprises a space where the development of man impacts in a tangible way (building of roads, infrastructure, etc.) and intangible (beliefs, culture, etc.), and gives added value to the region.

The cultural landscape is valuable for its natural wealth and cultural development throughout history. However, it is not always recognized and appreciated as such, so There are many cultural landscapes that have been listed as world heritage sites by UNESCO in order to preserve them.

The protection of the world's cultural landscapes (such as forests, mountains, lakes, buildings, cities, etc.) contributes to strategies for sustainable land use, maintenance or improvement of natural resources and conservation of biodiversity. Therefore, it is very important that the development of human activity accompanies the care of these landscapes.

Features of the cultural landscape

Traditional agricultural techniques are still used in the Viñales Valley cultural landscape.

The cultural landscape harmoniously combines nature with human actions. It is characterized by being a kind of legacy that reveals historical and cultural aspects of a territory accompanied by a natural treasure that is irrecoverable if it is not preserved.

The cultural landscape is important for a region from different aspects: economic (it can be used as a tourist attraction), pedagogical (it is studied from geography, natural sciences, history and research) and recreational (it is used as a leisure space and recreation).

In a territory considered cultural landscape, the community usually achieves a very strong sense of belonging that positively impacts daily life (intangible value). This is generated as a consequence of living in an environment where nature and human development advance in synergy (tangible values).

Elements of the cultural landscape

qhapaq ñan cultural landscape — Qhapaq Ñan is the Inca road that can still be traveled today.

Some elements of the cultural landscape are:

The population It refers to a group of people who inhabit a territory called cultural landscape and who tend to concentrate in an urbanized area. They are the ones who represent the region through their customs and tradition.
The infrastructure It refers to the architectural style typical of a region and that differentiates it from others. It can be an unsophisticated style (so as not to compete with the natural terrain in order to conserve it), or large cities that take advantage of the geography of the place to develop.
Industrialization It refers to the transformation of nature by the hand of man, for personal benefit. This action results in a production system that, if not adequately regulated, can lead to the deterioration of the cultural landscape.
Communication It refers to the channels created by humans in order to connect with neighboring or even very distant populations. This is achieved through roads, railways, airports, power lines and cables, among others.

Examples of cultural landscape

cultural landscape nazca lines — The Nazca Lines make up one of the most mysterious cultural landscapes.

Numerous cultural landscapes around the world are protected and conserved through UNESCO World Heritage declarations, among them we can mention:

The landscape of Nazca lines and Pampas geoglyphs (UNESCO 1994). Located in the arid coastal plain 400 kilometers from Lima, in Peru, The lines and geoglyphs drawn on the ground between 500 BC and 500 AD cover an area of 450 square meters. They represent one of the great enigmas of archeology due to their extension, nature and continuity over time. Some hypotheses maintain that they had a ritual function related to astronomy.
The landscape of Qhapaq Ñan (UNESCO 2014). It is located from southern Colombia through Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, northern Chile and northwest Argentina. It is an Andean system with extensive roads that, during the time of the Inca civilization, functioned as a link between the most important cities and favored trade. Its name means “mighty path” or “inca path”.
The landscape of the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro (UNESCO 2010) Located in the north of Mexico, it includes a road approximately 2,600 kilometers long. It is a route that connects northern Mexico with Texas, in the United States. During the 16th and 19th centuries, the road was used to transport silver extracted from the mines of Zacatecas, Guanajanto and San Luis Potosí. In addition to favoring mining activity, the road made it possible to establish social, cultural and religious ties.
The landscape of the Quebrada de Humahuaca (UNESCO 2003) Located in Jujuy, northern Argentina, it is an extension of the “Inca Trail” and was an important trade route. Its mountainous landscape stands out for the variety of colors in the rocks (such as the renowned “hill of the seven colors”) and for its rich cultural heritage, which shows the life of the hunters and gatherers of the Omahuaca culture and some pre-Columbian and colonials.
The Colombian coffee landscape (UNESCO 2011). Located in Colombia, it covers 6 coffee landscapes and 18 urban centers of the Andes Mountains. The landscape reflects the centuries-old tradition of growing coffee beans, produced in small plots that are adapted to withstand the difficult climatic conditions of the mountain area. In the surroundings, the urbanized regions present a particular architecture, influenced by Spanish colonization.
The landscape of the Viñales Valley (UNESCO 1999) Located in Cuba, it consists of a valley surrounded by mountains with a striking rocky landscape and abundant vegetation. Even today, traditional practices are used for agricultural production, especially tobacco. The landscape stands out for its own architecture for the construction of farms and villages. The culture of the town is characterized by being multiethnic, as a consequence of the influences of the Caribbean.
The landscape of Rio de Janeiro (UNESCO 2011). Located between the mountains and the sea of Brazil, it consists of a large Rio city that unfolds from the peaks of the mountains of the Tijuaca National Park to the sea. Among its great historical treasures are the Botanical Gardens created in 1808, the summit of Corcovado and its famous Christ the Redeemer, the hills surrounding Guanabara Bay and the wide landscapes of Copacabana Bay.

Cultural landscape and natural landscape

Unlike the cultural landscape, The natural landscape is a region where man did not intervene with his actions and that only presents its own characteristics resulting from climatological, geological and natural factors.

Currently, it is difficult to find accessible places that have not been intervened by man (directly or indirectly). For this reason, natural landscapes are remote, with restricted access or are very hostile to human life.