Industrial cultural landscapes - Searching for Authenticity

Identification and protection of industrial monuments and industrial landscapes is a major challenge not only in the Czech Republic but also in the international context. Interest in this topic brings a significant contribution to the fact what detailed testimony about industrial development we can bequeath to future generations. Not only abandoned industrial objects, but also post-industrial landscapes should be considered as the heritage of the industrial revolution. The characteristics of the landscape are the result of the complex development of its components and elements and also of the human influence. The industrial and subsequently post-industrial landscape is characterized by a number of typical attributes and creates an image of regional identity. Industrial wastelands and abandoned buildings has already become an object of professional interest. However, the industrial landscape are discussed more from an ecological and environmental point of view, with regard to the occurrence of biotic communities and species or soil and water remediation. Industrial landscapes as a category of historical cultural landscapes have not been sufficiently studied yet, methodological aspects of research for evaluation, classification and typology of this type of landscape are just at the beginning. The expansion of knowledge is the reason why the investigation of industrial landscape memory through the material sources is so important nowadays.