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Harvested hop cones (whether previously picked directly to the climatic conditions in which drying took place
on the edges of the fields and transported to village -during sunny weather, shutter blinds were to protect
drying kilns or nowadays transported directly to fully hops from exposure to sunlight, which worsened its
mechanized lines integrating picking and pre-drying) are, quality, metal shutters restricted moisture access to the
on the contrary, processed as quickly as possible into interior if drying took place during rainy weather. Drying
an "intermediate product" whose parameters allow its reduces the weight of hops, but does not greatly change
storage for weeks and months without any loss of taste or their volume. Extensive storage facilities were therefore
sensory qualities (or for other purposes - see Chapter 2.a). associated with the areas where hops were dried.

Dried hop cones therefore wait for various lengths of time On the other hand, the processing of grapes is
for further use as a kind of "spice", sold to any particular characterized by walled press houses and wine cellars, i.e.
brewery wanting to use the unique properties of Saaz premises with a completely different type construction,
hops for its own branded beer. To this end, the landscape because the process of maturing and storing wine requires
has necessarily become part of a wider process of cold, unlike hops. Therefore, the typical underground
specialization and cooperation between various actors cellars are often very large, combined with significantly
in the large-scale cultivation of hops. The nominated smaller above-ground spaces used for wine processing
property with its urban component that has completed and consumption (including living spaces). In vineyard
the process of hop processing through its certification landscapes, a direct relationship between the grower
and storage of hops by international traders before its and the wine producer is quite common; in the case of
distribution worldwide, is a unique example of synergy hops, on the other hand, the aim of the rural producer
between rural and urban community activities, which has was to dry the hops after cultivation and pass them on
a parallel in wine-growing countries only in those where to a commercial process in which he was not directly
the resulting wine product requires specific processing involved. It was thanks to this that the town of Žatec
techniques (sparkling wine from Champagne). gained its exclusive position within the nominated
property, as a place where hops were concentrated and
Impact on built heritage stored by wholesalers before their further distribution,
The appearance of village farm buildings intended and at the same time a place where its certification
for drying hops, their distance from the hop fields, took place.
connections to local roads and their location within
settlements, but also their size, construction, the building In this case, the comparison with the subsequent 197
materials used and in particular the appearance of their processing of harvested grapes is logically already
roofs, all of these in the case of the nominated property different and the impact of wine processing on the
are based on the need for high-quality, and above all, architecture of buildings, their size, appearance, design
quick drying of this crop, because any long exposure and their impact on the appearance of the landscape are
to air (more than a few hours) brings with it the risk of different.
deterioration.
Research and breeding aspect
Grapes and their subsequent processing and storage Hops, like vines and overall a number of now common
once also took place mainly in the countryside and this agricultural crops, are a domesticated plant. Man
had a significant impact on the location, character of first used wild plants, and over time, on the basis of
the structure and material of farm buildings associated evolving experience, there was natural selection of
with vineyard culture. However, the two crops (grapes the highest quality plants, which were deliberately
and hops) are completely different in their post-harvest grown on a defined area. The beginnings of breeding
processes. are therefore common to both plants. Empirical
knowledge in plant breeding came about only in the
th
Preservation of the unique properties of Saaz hops is not 19 century, evolving from basic methods of selection
possible in a humid environment; on the contrary, the or hybridization, the greatest growth followed in the 20
th
humidity of the hop cone itself must be quickly reduced century and continues to this day in modern forms such
to a minimum after picking (from the initial 85–75 % as genetic breeding and modification. In many countries
down to 6–8 %). Therefore, it was essential to carry traditionally associated with wine culture, there are
out the last phase of hop processing in dry and well- scientific institutes dealing with breeding. In many cases,
ventilated spaces/buildings with exclusively wooden however, these are centralized institutes located in the
internal structures. The external evidence of the existence main administrative centres. In the case of the Žatec hop
of the air-conditioning equipment of these buildings landscape nomination, it is possible to demonstrate the
are the characteristic dormer windows on the roofs or continuity of real scientific research carried out since the
the typical small ventilation openings in the perimeter 1920s, based directly in Žatec, which developed into an
walls. The buildings had to have extensive floor areas for internationally respected institution, whose results are
the immediate processing of all hop crops. At the same applied directly in the selected rural component. This
time, their construction features had to be able to react interconnection of scientific research with the town