Assessing the cultural heritage of historical ferries: A case study from the Czech Republic

The aim of the article was to evaluate the importance of historical ferries and ferry ports from the point of view of cultural heritage. The research took place in two model areas in the lands of Bohemia and Moravia in the Czech Republic. The registered transfer points supplemented by supporting database from historical topographical maps can be an appropriate basis for assessing the importance of cultural heritage. A follow-up archival and field research made it possible to objectively assess the potential of river ferries for cultural heritage. The knowledge and information about historical river ferries can be objectively used to make places more attractive for tourists. An ideal form of preservation of the cultural heritage is represented by preserved objects connected with the operation of the ferry, and the remains of anthropogenic landforms and landscaping. The construction or restoration of some objects associated with ferry operations contributes to the preservation of cultural heritage in this specific area of transport. The article attempted to verify whether the proposed methodology for assessing the cultural and historical values of river ferries is a suitable tool for assessing the importance of individual river ferries as a cultural heritage.