Integration or Disintegration of the Ecological and Urban Functions of the River in the City? A Polish Perspective

Abstract

This article aims to find whether the urbanized area experiences integration or disintegration of the ecological and urban functions of the river. The river has always played an important role in urban areas, although over the centuries, it has come through radical changes. At first, it decided on the location of the city, served as a defense and means of transport, and during the period of industrialization it became the technical base for the city. Currently, the river has again come to be an important element of the urban landscape and it has a number of important functions addressed primarily to city residents and tourists. The study considers the Polish perspective and was carried out on the basis of a case study of the city of Toruń (an example of the post-communist city of medium size) and a part of the River Vistula within it.