Conservation of Selected Churches in the Most Region and Karvina Region and Their Significance for Geotourism

Abstract

Coal mining in the Czech Republic has left significant marks on the geomorphology of the regions. Simultaneously, it has also affected the lives of people who have lived there for centuries. This article selects two areas, where the consequences of mining are pronounced. It compares the open cast mining in the brown coal deposit in Most and the underground mining of hard coal in the Karvina Region. Only few monuments have survived out of the original buildings. Certain landmarks are the churches that appear in both of the localities. In Most the original church was relocated by almost one kilometre to another place. The Karvina Region has several churches that have tilted due to mining subsidence. The buildings are the witnesses of the original settlements and suitable destinations for tourists. Overall, the areas have high potentials for the development of non-traditional forms of tourism, especially geo-montane tourism. (C) 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.