Reviewing Historical cemetery: A Phenomenological Approach to the Lived Experiences of vistors - A Case Study of Wadi al-Salam cemetery in Qom

Darabi, Hassan; Khodaparast, Erfan; Eshaghi, Fatemh; Irani Behbahani, Homa

Reviewing Historical cemetery: A Phenomenological Approach to the Lived Experiences of vistors - A Case Study of Wadi al-Salam cemetery in Qom

Document Type : Original Research

Authors

H. Darabi ¹

E. Khodaparast ²

F. Eshaghi ²

H. Irani Behbahani ³

¹ Department of Environmental design,School of Environment,College of Engineering,University of Tehran

² MSc in Environmental Design, Faculty of Environment, University of Tehran

³ Dept. Environmental Design, Faculty of Environment, University of Tehran

Abstract

Aims: This research deals with the delicacies and complexities of recreating the historical cemeteries of cities. In this regard, it tries to know the obvious, hidden dimensions, layers and components in the deep levels of perception by reviewing lived experiences.

Methods: This research is qualitative and has a phenomenological approach. In this way, in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted in Kusenbach's innovative method and in five axes, and also supplementary questionnaires were distributed to record, receive and analyze the meanings of the lived experiences of the landscape visitors.

Findings: The lived experiences of historical landscape cemeteries were studied in five axes: "Reference, ideal image, activity, improvement and mental dimensions" and showed that historical cemeteries have multidimensional qualities and a great variety, multiplicity and complexity in the perceptual layers.

Conclusion: If the role of the cemetery is reduced to the necessary urban infrastructure and becomes only a place for burying the bodies, then the connection between the world of the living and the dead is cut off, and turning it into a landfill for urban waste outside the city. Because of having valuable structures and elements, originality and hidden values that show the interaction of culture and nature over time, and these values preserve the identity and collective memories and historical memory of society, the protection of the historical landscape is very sensitive. Therefore, it is impossible to re-read these features in the re-creation of the cemetery without analyzing the deep perceptual layers hidden in the soul of this place.

Keywords

re-creation

historical landscape

Identity

Hermeneutics

graveyard

Subjects

Urban Scape

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