Scenery

Scenery is the natural or built features of a place that are observed by viewers, often in terms of aesthetic appeal. The term spans both natural landscapes and constructed environments, and is used in everyday speech as well as in professional contexts such as theater, film, and photography. In natural contexts, scenery includes mountains, valleys, coastlines, forests, rivers, and skies. In urban or rural settings, it includes streetscapes, architecture, fields, and farmland.

Natural scenery versus built scenery encompasses elements such as topography, vegetation, water, weather, and lighting, along with human elements like settlements, roads, and bridges. Scenic quality is affected by dynamic factors such as seasonal change, climate, and availability of viewpoints, and varies across regions and cultures.

Perception and assessment of scenery are subjective yet informed by certain criteria. Viewers describe scenery in terms of composition, scale, rhythm, color, and mood, using terms like picturesque, dramatic, or tranquil. Photography, painting, and travel writing emphasize capturing or interpreting scenery, while planning and conservation disciplines study scenic value to guide land management and development.

Cultural and economic roles of scenery include supporting tourism, shaping regional identity, and inspiring art and media production. Scenic protection and landscape-management policies seek to preserve viewsheds and landscape character, balancing preservation with development. Throughout history, movements such as Romanticism have celebrated scenery as a source of emotion and imagination, reinforcing its enduring significance in culture and everyday life.