The Czech Republic, globally famous for its beer, has officially added its beer culture to the national list of intangible cultural heritage. Alongside beer culture, the Hořice Passion Plays and the production of blueprints have also been recognised as cultural traditions. These additions highlight the deep-rooted and important role these customs play in Czech identity and community.
On Thursday, Culture Minister Martin Baxa presented a certificate to representatives of the Czech Brewery and Malting Association at Břevnov Monastery in Prague, marking the inclusion of beer culture in the Czech Republic’s intangible cultural heritage list.
“Beer culture, as a sum of traditional knowledge, skills, customs, and social events, is undoubtedly an important social and cultural phenomenon in the Czech Republic. Czech brewing has not only a long tradition but is also an important part of our cultural heritage. I am pleased that the Brewery and Malting Association has initiated this, and I wish all those who care for beer culture great success,” said Minister of Culture Martin Baxa.
The inclusion of beer culture in the national list is not the first beer-related nomination. In 2018, the craft of cooperage, represented by the cooper workshop of Pilsner Urquell Brewery (Plzeňský Prazdroj), was added to the national list. Another achievement was the 2023 inclusion of the town of Žatec and the Žatec hop-growing region in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The nomination of beer culture at the national level follows earlier inclusions in the regional lists of the Pilsen and South Bohemia regions.
Beer culture has been passed down from generation to generation since at least the mid-19th century. In the Czech Republic, it remains a living phenomenon based on community, exchange, and the transmission of knowledge, experiences, and traditions. The most important aspect of this nomination, however, is its social dimension—the shared experience of time and tradition. Beer is part of most social events, both in cities and rural areas, and is also reflected in Czech folklore, particularly in folk songs. This was the primary motivation for the applicants to include beer culture in the national list.
Purpose of the Intangible Cultural Heritage List
The national list serves to preserve, identify, develop, and promote intangible cultural heritage in the Czech Republic. Beer culture, the Hořice Passion Plays, and the production of blueprints join the list, which has been compiled since 2009. Entries on the national list are a prerequisite for potential nomination to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list. To date, the following Czech traditions have been included:
- Slovácký verbuňk (2005)
- Carnival parades and masks in the Hlinecko region (2010)
- Falconry (2010, in a multinational nomination coordinated by the United Arab Emirates)
- Royal processions in Southeast Czech Republic (2011)
- Czech-Slovak puppet theatre (2016, together with Slovakia)
- Blueprints (2018, together with Hungary, Germany, Austria, and Slovakia)
- Handmade glass bead jewellery for Christmas trees (2020)
- Log driving in Europe (2022, together with Latvia, Germany, Poland, Austria, and Spain)
- Traditional glass production (2023, together with Finland, France, Hungary, Germany, and Spain)
In 2022, for the first time, a Czech nomination was included in the UNESCO Register of Best Safeguarding Practices for Intangible Cultural Heritage. It is titled “Strategy for the Preservation of Traditional Craftsmanship – Programme for the Bearers of Traditional Folk Craftsmanship”.
