The Kasunean River Revisited: Some Notions on the Role of Cultural Landscape Elements in Cirebon City, West Java, Indonesia

Abstract

Waterbodies are the most important landscape elements in the history of settlement formation. Since the 15th century, rivers have played a critical role in distributing logistics and have served as significant infrastructure. In relation to the revitalization of heritage structures in Cirebon, the role of the river, symbolizing the source of life and fertility, has been revisited and has raised the notion of ecological concerns. The reconstruction of Lawang Sanga at the River Kasunean has unveiled the challenge of maintaining cultural landscape elements in regards to resilient landscapes. This paper argues the relation between revitalization efforts and the expanding role of the river.