Zprávy památkové péče 2024, 84(1):3-16 | DOI: 10.56112/zpp.2024.1.01

Žatec and the landscape of Saaz hop on the World Heritage List

Věra Kučová

NPÚ, Generální ředitelství v Praze

In recent years, in the Czech Republic, nominations for inscription on the World Heritage List have been preferred for topics that, in addition to the objective values of preserved heritage, are based on the interest of the public and local government representation. This is necessary to ensure the conditions for documentation and for the preparation of a number of texts. The article presents a multiyear story of the long but successful nomination of the town of Žatec and the associated landscape with hop-growing plants on the way to inscription on this List. This was not only about presenting the preserved hop-growing heritage. During the process, the methodological experience of the National Heritage Institute and the knowledge of specialists on the hitherto less presented topic of hop-growing architectural heritage were used, all in synergy and with the support of the local government and local residents. The nomination also demonstrated the importance of targeted and parallel research activities, which have helped to better present the values of a cultural landscape whose type has not been represented on the World Heritage List. The prestigious international status for other cultural landscapes of Czechia may strengthen inter-ministerial cooperation at the national level in the future.

Keywords: world heritage; Žatec; Stekník; hop field; hop-growing landscape; cultural landscape

Published: August 19, 2024  Show citation