UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITES AND NATIONAL PARKS OF CENTRAL EUROPE

Křivoklátsko, a protected landscape area and UNESCO biosphere reservation, is the largest complex of deciduous and mixed forests in the Czech Republic. There are a number of rare animal and vegetable species on the steep, rocky slopes of the Berounka Valley. Křivoklátsko is located along the central flow of the Berounka River in the regions of Beroun, Kladno, Rakovník, Plzeň - north and Rokycany.Křivoklátsko, a protected landscape area and UNESCO biosphere reservation, is a curiosity in comparison with similar landscape areas in Europe. It extends through the middle of Bohemia, and almost two-thirds of the area is covered with deciduous and mixed forests. More than 1,800 species of vascular plants have been preserved to this day as well as at least 52 types of trees, which are home to the nests of approximately 120 bird species and a countless number of animal species, many of which are included on the red list of rare and endangered species. The rich and preserved nature of the whole area is subject to many natural elements and historical connections. Some of the most important are the great articulation of the terrain in the Křivoklátská Highlands, the varied geological structure, the valley phenomena of the Berounka River, the varied orientation of habitats to points on a compass, the soil types, the climatic conditions and the historical development of settlement. The temperature at the bottom of the valley is very low for most of the year, which corresponds to the conditions in submontane and mountainous regions. Temperature inversion is a typical phenomenon for Křivoklátsko and is one of the main causes of the high diversity of the natural environment here.