Landscape, Historic Gardens and Parks
On the territory of the Czech Republic we encounter cultural landscapes whose character was formed by human activity from its original natural form.
In terms of heritage preservation we should point out the continuation and overlap of many historic complexes and parks into the landscape in the form of the original, mainly Baroque allées.
Some of these extensive landscape areas have been designated Landscape Heritage Zones (currently 19 such areas). The Lednice-Valtice complex (designated a KPZ in 1992) is an example of a very valuable artificially composed landscape area in the countryside.
We interpret a Landscape Heritage Zone (KPZ) as an extensive area encompassing site formations and integrated landscape elements, whose current appearance was to a marked degree cultivated and formed by historical human activity. Landscape Heritage Zones represent preserved cultural landscapes in their undisturbed appearance, i.e. without significant negative interventions to the natural environment or urban structure of a site. As a rule, Landscape Heritage Zone areas are distinguished by a balanced composition of natural and settlement tracts with landscape or architectonic focal points (castles, historic country houses, tower houses, churches, manor houses, etc.) reflected in valuable panoramic views. In the case of ancient settlement sites, Landscape Heritage Zones also encompass significant primeval or early feudal archeological remains.