Institute of Archaeological Heritage Care of Central Bohemia

The Institute of Archaeological Heritage Care of Central Bohemia (Czech: Ústav archeologické památkové péče středních Čech, abbreviated ÚAPPSČ) is a regional contributory organization (příspěvková organizace) established by the Central Bohemian Region in the Czech Republic. Its mission is active archaeological heritage care within the Central Bohemian Region. It was founded on 31 March 1993 by decision of the Minister of Culture No. 6/1993, as part of a reform of heritage care in the Czech Republic that transferred some rights and duties from the Archaeological Institute of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic to a planned network of regional Institutes of Archaeological Heritage Care. Of the originally envisaged network, only three regional institutes were realized: in Most (northwest Bohemia), Brno, and Central Bohemia. After the 2001 administrative reform and under Act No. 157/2000, ÚAPPSČ passed into the competence of the Central Bohemian Region and since 1 April 2001 has been a separate legal entity established and financed by the region as a contributory organization. The first director was PhDr. Vladimír Čtverák; since 2007 the organization has been led by director Mgr. Irena Benková. At the end of 2020 it had 23 archaeologists and 8 administrative and laboratory staff across four workplaces: Prague, Kounice (in the building of a former manorial inn), Nižbor, and the Central Depository in Benátky nad Jizerou. The institute's tasks include identification and protection of archaeological situations, rescue archaeological research (both developer-funded and non-developer-funded), issuing expert opinions and statements on sites with archaeological finds, commenting on spatial planning documentation, and issuing confirmations of fulfillment of archaeological conditions under § 22(2) of the heritage law. It also conducts aerial and surface prospection, publishes the journal Archeologie ve středních Čechách and occasional monographs, operates the Information Centre of Celtic Culture at Nižbor Castle, organizes exhibitions, educational programs for schools, conferences and lectures, and popularizes archaeology through the website Cesty archeologie. Its logo incorporates a small bronze sculpture of a solar horse from the Hallstatt period, found in April 2013 during an archaeological survey in Mladá Boleslav. The institute organizes the Krumbenowe fair of prehistoric and medieval culture in Český Krumlov together with the Regional Museum in Český Krumlov.

The Institute of Archaeological Heritage Care of Central Bohemia (ÚAPPSČ) was established on 31 March 1993 by decision of the Minister of Culture No. 6/1993, as a consequence of changes in the concept of heritage care in the Czech Republic. According to an agreement between the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic and the Archaeological Institute of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, part of the rights and duties of the Archaeological Institute were to be transferred to a planned and newly founded network of Institutes of Archaeological Heritage Care. These specialized regional workplaces were to carry out continuous organizational, field, processing, training, publishing, and exhibition activities. The basis of each such institute was to be the staff of the rescue department of the Archaeological Institute of the Academy of Sciences, supplemented by technical and economic workers. The founder and financial source of all planned institutes was to be the state. Of the originally conceived network, only three regional workplaces were realized: the Institute of Archaeological Heritage Care of Northwest Bohemia in Most, the Institute of Archaeological Heritage Care Brno, and the Institute of Archaeological Heritage Care of Central Bohemia. After 2001, structural changes occurred in the administrative system of the Czech Republic: a regional self-government system was created, and in accordance with Act No. 157/2000, ÚAPPSČ passed into the competence of the Central Bohemian Region. Since 1 April 2001, the institute has been a separate unit with legal personality established by the Central Bohemian Region and financed by it as a contributory organization. The first director was PhDr. Vladimír Čtverák; since 2007 the organization has been headed by director Mgr. Irena Benková. At the end of 2020, ÚAPPSČ had 23 archaeologists and 8 administrative and laboratory workers distributed across four workplaces in the Central Bohemian Region: Prague, Kounice (in the building of a former manorial inn), Nižbor, and the Central Depository in Benátky nad Jizerou. One of the archaeological finds made by ÚAPPSČ staff in late April 2013 during an archaeological survey before the construction of a new retaining wall in Ptácká Street in Mladá Boleslav – a small bronze sculpture of a solar horse from the Hallstatt period – became a graphic component of the institute's logo in 2016.

• Institute established by decision of the Minister of Culture No. 6/1993.

• Became a separate legal entity established and financed by the Central Bohemian Region as a contributory organization.

• Mgr. Irena Benková became director.

• Discovery of a Hallstatt-period bronze solar horse sculpture in Mladá Boleslav.

• The solar horse find became part of the institute's logo.

• Had 23 archaeologists and 8 administrative and laboratory workers across four workplaces.

• Krumbenowe 2026, 8th edition, returns to Český Krumlov after a three-year pause.

Regional public-benefit archaeological heritage institution providing rescue archaeology, expert services, publishing, and public education in the Central Bohemian Region.

• Rescue archaeological research

  Archaeological care for the regions of the Central Bohemian Region; rescue archaeological research funded and not funded by builders.

• Expert opinions and statements

  Expert opinions and statements on sites with archaeological finds; statements on spatial planning documentation; confirmations of fulfillment of archaeological conditions under § 22(2) of the heritage law.

• Journal Archeologie ve středních Čechách

  Professional journal published by the institute.

• Occasional monographs and conference proceedings

  Publishing of occasional monographs and proceedings.

• Information Centre of Celtic Culture at Nižbor Castle

  Exhibition space of the institute; exhibitions for the public and educational programs for school pupils.

• Krumbenowe fair

  Fair of prehistoric and medieval culture in Český Krumlov, co-organized with the Regional Museum in Český Krumlov.

1. 1Ústav archeologické památkové péče středních Čech – official websiteuappsc.cz
2. 2Ústav archeologické památkové péče středních Čech – Czech Wikipediacs.wikipedia.org
3. 3Ústav Archeologické Památkové Péče Středních Čech – Wikidatawikidata.org