Greenery has always played an important role in the construction of cities. The need
for green spaces has been present at city level since ancient times. However, the description of
the evolutionary process of form and function of urban green spaces as it has developed from
antiquity depends greatly upon the different roles played by these places throughout history.
Nowadays, given that the main part of the world population is living in cities, it can be said
that greenery has a strategic importance in the contemporary urban fabric. Therefore, urban
design solutions should always consider both buildings and vegetation as being defining city’s
elements. However, the city is currently dominated by building structures which are
detrimental to green spaces, causing problems of congestion and pollution. The most recent
and compulsory Portuguese urban rehabilitation principles emphasize the improvement of
sustainability. It is, therefore, critical to draw attention to this area and find innovative
solutions in this domain, especially with regards the integration of vegetation in historical
areas. In this sense, this research aims to present an approach about the importance of greenery
in cities, referring some examples of green spaces as landmarks in the urban historiography. It
is also focused on the benefits of green spaces in dense urban areas and their contribution for
the sustainability of the cities.
the evolutionary process of form and function of urban green spaces as it has developed from
antiquity depends greatly upon the different roles played by these places throughout history.
Nowadays, given that the main part of the world population is living in cities, it can be said