This site was recognized as one of the worst WHS at all by our community. Well, I am afraid that every single year more and more candidates for this title are continuously inscribed. Maybe it sounds strange to foreigners, believe or not, but the Lednice-Valtice cultural landscape is recognized and admired as a true national treasure by most of Czechs. In times before 1989, this place was one of the few, where one could feel an aristocratic flair of former Hapsburg Empire. The borders were tightly shut and there was no chance to go to nearby Schonbrunn in Vienna.

As almost every cultural landscape, it is difficult to understand its OUV. The castles in Valtice and Lednice only partly express it. Personally, I can see it in a combination of rather small structures and buildings (such as Rybniční Zámeček, the Pond Maison, close to Lednice ponds – PHOTO) within the large slightly undulating landscape penetrated by lakes, ponds and set of canals of Dyje River.

Lednice castle with its Minaret in the park is the most famous part of this ensemble for most of Czech locals, and the same is true also for some smaller structures such as Temple of Apollo located close to the popular lake for swimming and relaxing during summer heats. In contrast, Valtice castle is better know for its viticulture and wine exhibition in the basement of the castle.

Relatively recently, I visited Pohansko and Lány component, which is close to the town of Břeclav, and slightly off the beaten trails and visited mostly by locals. I liked especially the Pohansko castle, which is somehow similar to the Gloriette of Schonbrunn.

It is not a world class, but it deserves the WHS status in my opinion.