Economic and Social Impacts of Promoting Cultural Heritage Protection by the Czech Rural Development Programme 2007–2013

Cultural heritage can play a very important role in local and regional development with economic and social effects. The European Union (EU) outlined a specific measure that is aimed at the protection and development of rural heritage within rural development policy in the programming period of 2007–2013. The main aim of this paper is to assess economic and social impacts of projects supported by EU Rural Policy in the Czech Republic during the period of 2007–2013. The implemented projects were located mainly in peripheral rural areas, both near to borders and in inner peripheries, which means that the measure was geographically well targeted. The results of the measure contribute to the restoration and reconstruction of historical monuments, churches, cemeteries and small sacral monuments which create an environment in rural settlements. This environment is very important for the community life and strengthening local identity. In the field of economic development, the results of this measure demonstrate only limited effects in supported villages.