Karlštejn has a better chance of being listed as a UNESCO monument than before

Prague - Karlštejn Castle has been striving for inclusion in the UNESCO list of World Cultural and Natural Heritage for about 16 years, but its chances have increased in recent years. This is primarily due to a number of historical surveys in which conservationists found that Karlštejn is preserved with much greater authenticity than was originally assumed. CTK was told today by the representative of the castle's custodian, Tomáš Řehoř.
     Karlštejn Castle has been seeking inclusion on the UNESCO heritage list since the early 1990s. However, the characteristics of the site presented with the first proposal for including Karlštejn on the list were not processed very successfully, according to Řehoř. The original report focused on the reconstruction of Karlštejn from the end of the 19th century. "Today we are much wiser because over those 16 years many construction-historical and restoration surveys have been conducted, which have shown that the castle is preserved much better and with greater authenticity than was assumed in the 1990s," Řehoř specified. According to him, Karlštejn now has clearly higher chances of success. The conservationists also view Karlštejn and the preservation of all its structures differently now, he added.
     For one of the most visited castles in Bohemia, the UNESCO heritage title would primarily mean an increase in prestige and maximum protection of the site within the preservation of world cultural heritage. However, it would not lead to any financial contributions. Nevertheless, it would be a benefit for the castle, says Řehoř.
     An influx of a larger number of visitors would, however, pose a problem for Karlštejn. The monument is visited by 260,000 to 300,000 tourists annually, which the castle staff consider the maximum optimum. "The castle has a certain limit that we cannot exceed in order to maintain the level of presentation. Secondly, which is no less significant, the integrity of the monument must be ensured," Řehoř emphasized. People would have no choice but to wait for a tour. At Karlštejn, there are so-called timed entrance tickets for two tour routes, and in addition, the castle offers accompanying cultural events. "Of course, we would organize seasonal exhibitions or lectures and other events on the occasion of being added to the UNESCO list," said the custodian's representative.
     This year, a significant European award for participating in the preservation of European cultural heritage has already been presented at Karlštejn. The Europa Nostra Award was granted to the conservators from the Central Bohemian branch of the National Heritage Institute (NPÚ). They received the highest European award for a project concerning the restoration of a set of Gothic panel paintings by Master Theodorik from the Chapel of the Holy Cross at Karlštejn.