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Map of the archaeological sites of Prague Castle

Publication

Abstract

The map of the archaeological sites of Prague Castle - one of the results of the project Hidden beneath the surface - was composed with the aim of creating a tool for the effective application of research in heritage conservation. It informs about the state of individual objects - historical buildings, materials and environment in archaeological sites and their changes over time. Through the web interface and GIS tools, this information is published and shared between interested research subjects and directed to the application guarantor - the Department of Monument Preservation (Odbor památkové péče Kanceláře prezidenta republiky), which participates in the management of archaeological sites and puts into practice measures of monument protection.

The basis of the Map is the orientation of the current state of the premises, not only archaeological relics - mainly masonry and wooden structures, but also modern structures - protective walls, sidewalks and ventilation openings. As part of the relics of historical constructions, individual buildings are identified and placed in the context of the construction development of Prague Castle. The map complements the emerging directive for monument care and operation in archaeological sites. In the map application, the communication scheme and no-entry zones are marked and risks are identified - i.e. places that are damaged or significantly threatened due to the instability of the environment and require increased preservation effort. At the same time, the monument conservation and restoration interventions carried out with links to documentation and reports are entered into the map. The shared platform is also intended for the publication of research results in the field of heritage preservation. These are the results of diagnostic measurements carried out in the area as part of ongoing research projects and the results of long-term monitoring measurements to check the sustainability of the sites. The research focuses on the environment (microclimatological study), the behavior of materials or the stability of buildings. GIS application tools with simple statistical analyses, graphs or tables are used to present the measurement results. The map will continue to be operated by the Archaeological Institute in Prague.