Cultural monument and national cultural monument (kulturní památka)

Under Section 2 of Czech Act No. 20/1987 Coll. on State Heritage Care, the Ministry of Culture declares as cultural monuments immovable and movable things that are significant evidence of the historical development, way of life and environment of society, or are directly linked to important people and historical events. A monument can be a building, a structure that is not a separate thing, a group of buildings or a plot of land. Cultural monuments that form the most important part of the nation's cultural heritage are declared national cultural monuments by government regulation.

How do I know a house is a monument

• The Central List of Cultural Monuments of the Czech Republic (ÚSKP) is kept by the National Heritage Institute (NPÚ). It is publicly available in the Heritage Catalogue (Památkový katalog), where each monument has a register number.
• On the title deed, the building or plot shows the type of protection immovable cultural monument or immovable national cultural monument.
• The seller must tell the buyer that the property is a cultural monument (Section 9(4) of the Act).

What the owner must comply with

The owner must, at their own expense, look after the monument's preservation, keep it in good condition and protect it from damage. Before any maintenance, repair, reconstruction, restoration or other alteration of the monument or its surroundings, Section 14 requires the owner to obtain a decision or binding opinion of the municipal office of the municipality with extended powers, or of the regional office for a national cultural monument. The authority issues it after the NPÚ's written opinion and states whether the work is acceptable and under what conditions. A change of owner must be reported to the NPÚ within 30 days.

What it means for a buyer

A house that is a cultural monument cannot be repaired, rebuilt or insulated without a binding opinion, not even when replacing windows, the roof or the facade. Expect every building project to take longer to prepare. On the owner's request, the municipality or region may contribute to the increased costs of preserving or restoring the monument, and in cases of exceptional public interest also the Ministry of Culture. Before buying, it is worth asking for the binding opinions issued for past repairs.

Frequently asked questions

Is every house in a heritage zone a monument?

No. Only a thing the Ministry of Culture has declared a monument is a cultural monument. But a house in a heritage zone or reserve that is not a monument is also subject to the duty to obtain a binding opinion before building, alterations or maintenance work, unless the protection plan excludes it.

Who may restore a monument?

Parts of a monument that are works of fine art or craft may be restored only by a natural person holding a permit from the Ministry of Culture.