Problem
People cannot maintain their spiritual roots and their connections to the past if the physical world they live in does not also sustain these roots.
Solution
Whether the sacred sites are large or small, whether they are at the center of the towns, in neighborhoods, or in the deepest countryside, establish ordinances which will protect them absolutely—so that our roots in the visible surroundings cannot be violated.
Related Patterns
… in every region and every town, indeed in every neighborhood, there are special places which have come to symbolize the area, and the people’s roots there. These places may be natural beauties or historical landmarks left by ages past. But in some form they are essential.
Give every sacred site a place, or a sequence of places, where people can relax, enjoy themselves, and feel the presence of the place — Quiet Backs (59), Zen View (134), Tree Places (171), Garden Seat (176). And above all, shield the approach to the site, so that it can only be approached on foot, and through a series of gateways and thresholds which reveal it gradually — Holy Ground (66).
Alexander, Christopher. A Pattern Language: Towns, Buildings, Construction. Oxford University Press, 1977, p. 131.