Author(s): Amal Nnechachi Bounous; Daniel Lucas Teijeiro Mosquera; Francisco Alberto Varela Garcia; Jeronimo Puertas Agudo

Linked Author(s): Amal Nnechachi Bounous, Jerónimo Puertas Agudo

Keywords: Urban River; Cultural heritage; Ecosystem services

Abstract: Many of the rivers that flow through urban and peri-urban environments have suffered urban development pressures in recent decades due to the growth of residential, industrial and commercial areas. This is the case of the Monelos River, located in the city of A Coruña (Spain), which is now mostly piped. Although in the past it was a distinctive element of the city providing multiple ecosystem services, such as fishing, hand clothes washing and bathing, and also served for agricultural and livestock activities. This work identifies the elements of cultural heritage that have been associated with the Monelos river basin, through a spatio-temporal journey through the river and its history. The aim is to understand the processes that have led to its concealment underground, as well as to its oblivion. The different stages of transformation of the river are studied, linked to the historical context and urban planning of the time, from the 18th century to the present day. All of this is supported by interdisciplinary historical research based on written and graphic documentation preserved in different Spanish archives. Using Geographic Information Systems techniques in combination with the analysis and interpretation of historical archives, a reconstruction of the history of the river is carried out. The cultural ecosystem services provided by the river are still present today in the memory of many citizens who knew it. The missing elements of the historical, architectural and industrial heritage, which were identified, continue to form part of the city through their toponymy, such as the watermills (Los Molinos), or their physiognomy, such as the streets through which the river flows underground or the bridges that are still standing, even though they no longer have a river to cross. With the results obtained, it is possible to clearly define the course of the river and the causes and consequences that led to its concealment, but also the impact it had on the appearance of industrial heritage and the destruction of the archaeological heritage that washed its banks. The Monelos River, hidden and forgotten for many years, is the subject of several citizens' initiatives for its recovery. Citizens who have known the river lament the loss of an element of the city with which they recall their experiences, as shown in the documentary "Monelos No river". The recovery of specific sections of the river is contemplated in the document of the Green Infrastructure Strategy of A Coruña. It is also the subject of research in the author's doctoral thesis, as well as the focus of the Monelos River Revival project and a case study of the R+D+i project. "Memory of the Disappeared Architectural Heritage in Galicia. The 20th century".

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3850/IAHR-39WC2521711920221539

Year: 2022