The Gomti riverfront in Lucknow, India: Revitalization of a cultural heritage landscape

Historic Lucknow was oriented to the Gomti riverfront with monumental architecture of mosques, mausoleums and palaces concentrated on the southern bank. Thus the river was much more than a transportation artery enjoyed for its views and breezes and appreciated for its utility. This elite riverfront landscape was transformed into backwaters and disappeared from the public eye over time. Its centrality as a landscape of power was lost as a result of the momentous political and economic changes, beginning with the Indian Uprising/Mutiny in 1857. Although efforts are currently underway to beautify the riverfront by lining it with parks and plazas, they do not explicitly evoke the historic landscape and are piecemeal efforts to provide greenery. The paper outlines an urban conservation model and suggests design interventions that would revitalize the riverfront and contribute towards preserving both tangible and intangible heritage of the city.