Defunct Settlements in National Park Šumava (selected examples)
Abstract: National park Šumava is one of the most beautiful natural parts of the Czech Republic, and there is also part which is defined as Landscape Protected Area Šumava. This area boasts 80% forest cover and is protected against human activity, especially new buildings. This area is very interesting for its natural values but also for its cultural and history values. The landscape of Šumava forest has changed during historical development, especially in the frontier zone that is the main topic of this article. The aim this article of the presentation is to introduce selected defunct settlements in the frontier zone of Šumava. Also presents history, character of this defunct settlements and the reason, why the settlements ceased to exist. One of the main aims is to find the signs of these defunct settlements. How do they manifest themselves in landscape of Šumava today? How can we identify them? Archive maps as the second military maps and maps of the stable cadastre were used for processing. These maps are compared with aerial photographs from the 1950s and the present. Another way to find the signs of defunct settlements are photographs of the present condition. The article research the selected defunct settlements with the aid of various sources. The article provides a new view of changed forest landscape, that has spirit of history. There are extant buildings or the rest of the buildings and composed landscape traces, such as long strips of green vegetation for the division of estate, roads with attended green vegetation. These composed landscape traces jointly form the character of landscape and they keep the historical perception up to now.
