The Czech Republic and Slovakia withdrew the proposal to list the fortifications of Valy as UNESCO heritage

Mikulčice (Hodonínsko) - The Ministries of Culture of the Czech Republic and Slovakia have withdrawn the nomination for the inclusion of the Great Moravian fortress Valy in Mikulčice in Hodonín and the nearby church in Kopčany on the UNESCO World Heritage list. CTK was informed of this today by the ministry's spokesperson Helena Markusová. The request for the site to be inscribed among prestigious world heritage sites has now been postponed for the second time. It is currently impossible to estimate when a new nomination could be submitted.
    Before the next nomination, it is necessary to reassess the results of the ongoing research by archaeologists, and further research of both sites is needed, the spokesperson stated. The request for inscription should also be better scientifically justified.
    Valy was one of the largest centers of Great Moravia. According to scientists, this fortress could be the legendary capital of the Great Moravian Empire - Veligrad, which has yet to be found. This Saturday, it will be 60 years since archaeological research began at the site. Its results are presented directly at the site in a modern museum exhibit.
    UNESCO's leadership decides on the inscription of a proposed site based on recommendations from the scientific organization ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites). If UNESCO rejects the nomination, reapplication is not permitted. The ICOMOS organization recommended postponing the proposal for inscription, which representatives of the Czech Republic and Slovakia did in May. It is currently unknown when the Valy fortress and the Great Moravian church of St. Margaret of Antioch in the nearby Slovak Kopčany could be proposed again for the UNESCO World Heritage list. Markusová stated that new research would take "a matter of months."
    In September, experts from the Czech Republic and Slovakia are expected to discuss the future of this project in Mikulčice. The first nomination for inscription was withdrawn by the ministries in 2009 with the justification that the proposal could be better developed and scientifically supported. According to available information, not all contentious issues related to the nomination were fully resolved in the second proposal.
    Archaeologists have thus far found the foundations of 11 churches and a princely palace at the site of the former Valy fortress, which stood on the dead arms of the Morava River. The collection of finds from this site is extraordinarily rich; it includes not only common objects or weapons but also jewelry. Valy also housed the largest Great Moravian basilica. The area is currently being prepared. The foundations of all buildings will be raised to a height of one meter. The work will be completed in April 2015. Valy is visited by approximately 25,000 tourists annually. Visitor numbers are increasing.