Kokorinsko and the Landscape with a Specific Settlement Structure
Abstract: The landscape with a specific settlement structure has been defined as a type of organically developed landscape in the Typology of the Historical Cultural Landscape of the Czech Republic (2020). These are areas with a specific settlement structure, more or less uniform within the region, which is different from the surrounding area. This is determined by the spatial layout of the rural settlement system, their interrelations and hierarchy, the type of settlement, the plan type of settlements and, where appropriate, the preserved features of regionally specific rural architecture. The article presents several landscapes that can be perceived as having a specific settlement structure. The emphasis in their description is on the specifics of their historically determined settlement and urban structure, or architectural form. The landscape of the Kokořín region is then presented in the form of a case study with a more detailed description of several villages. In the second part, the article deals with the practical use of the designation of this type of landscape in the state conservation sector, including the possibility of area conservation (landscape conservation zone), state nature and landscape protection (including large-scale protection) and spatial planning. It focuses primarily on the concept of landscape identity (in relation to the Council of Europe Landscape Convention), landscape character protection (according to the Nature and Landscape Protection Act) and the concept of the character of the territory, which appears in the Building Act and is one of the current issues of contemporary spatial planning. In the conclusion, the applicability of the application of the given methodology in individual ministries is discussed.
