Comprehending genius loci, towards spiritual sustainability

Lessons from Buddhist heritage city Anuradhapura

Dados Bibliográficos

ID5700697
AutoresWasana De Silva (0000-0003-4924-9037, Architecture, University of Moratuwa, Moratuwa, Sri Lanka, autor correspondente)
Ano2023
Volume29
Fascículo1-2
Páginas1-20
Data de publicação2023-02-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessNão
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoInternational Journal of Heritage Studies (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 1352-7258 • E-ISSN: 1470-3610
EditoraInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/13527258.2023.2169333
OpenAlexW4318995825
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas2
Referências citadas32

The world heritage city Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka, significant for spiritually cherished spatial orientation manifests in the city; reflecting ‘spiritual sustainability’, that integrates nature, natural elements, topography, built elements with the performances of people. This research examines comprehending ‘genius loci’ in heritage city Anuradhapura, and how this occurrence relates to spiritual sustainability. It explores in-depth dimensions of the place, related to ‘spiritual orientation’; a novel approach for understanding heritage sites. This paper proposes an original interdisciplinary study and method to examine ‘spiritual sustainability’ of the place and meanings by employing contextual concepts, and generalised concepts. It utilises Buddhist concepts, to explore in-depth meanings of the place, attached with the locus, vision, and cultural/religious views. Further, it discusses how these meanings shape and sustain the heritage city between divine/mundane dimensions. The same universal concept flourished upon architecture, landscape, villages and cities, from pre-history to the Buddhist city Anuradhapura, gathered in the same locus comprehending ‘genius loci’, established ‘spiritual sustainability’. In conclusion, the Buddhist heritage city sustains between physical and non-physical dimensions, a dynamic process, reveal more in-depth meanings of the place. This study presents a new insight to value heritage places and a new perspective for sustainable developments

Aesthetics · Archaeology · Art · Art history · Buddhism · Cultural heritage · Environmental ethics · Genius · Sociology · Sustainability · Cultural Heritage Management and Preservation · Geographies of human-animal interactions · History · Philosophy · Religious Tourism and Spaces · Architecture · Ecology