Cultural monument
Czech Republic: Saaz hop landscape becomes UNESCO World Heritage Site
Even in the middle of Zatec there is a small hop field growing (archive photo). photo
© picture alliance / dpa-tmn
The Saaz hops are primarily used for the classic Czech Pilsner. The growing area is now recognized.
Good news for beer lovers: UNESCO has added the Saaz hop region in the Czech Republic to its list of world heritage sites. The cultivation and processing of the crop has shaped the city of Zatec – Saaz in German – and its surroundings for centuries, said the Ministry of Culture in Prague.
“The cultivation of hops, our green gold, is inextricably linked to Czech culture,” said Culture Minister Martin Baxa. According to the information, the decision was made at the ongoing world heritage site in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Exports until after Japan
Hops are one of the basic ingredients for beer, along with water, malt and yeast. Saaz hops, also known as red hops, are preferred for the classic Czech pilsner and give it its bitter-tart flavor. The demand for aromatic hops has been increasing for years. It is even exported to Japan.
The World Heritage application consisted of two parts: on the one hand, the landscape around the villages of Trnovany and Steknik with the Steknik Castle, and on the other hand, the historic city center of Zatec with its industrial buildings from the 19th century.
Zatec is located on the banks of the Eger, almost 70 kilometers northwest of Prague and 50 kilometers east of Karlovy Vary. Until the Germans were expelled after the Second World War, the city was predominantly populated by German Bohemians. Today it has around 19,000 inhabitants.