The UNESCO World Heritage Committee recently inscribed Žatec and the Landscape of the Saaz Hops in the Czech Republic as new UNESCO World Heritage sites. What makes these places exceptional goes beyond scenic fields: the Saaz hop variety, cultivated here for centuries, is a cornerstone of brewing worldwide. Without Czech hops, many familiar beers—from classic Pilsners to international lagers—would not have the same distinctive aroma and flavor. In the global hop world, Žatec occupies a central place.
Žatec is a hop-growing metropolis with a unique and well-preserved hop heritage. The town’s historic core contains traditional hop stores, historic drying and packing facilities, and even what is claimed to be the world’s smallest hop garden. These elements combine to tell the story of a landscape shaped by hop cultivation for generations.
“The Smallest Hop Garden in the World” © Katerina Devlin | Dreamstime.com
The Žatec Brewery, established in 1801, sits in the town, but brewing in the area stretches back far earlier. Records show a brewing guild existed more than 700 years ago, when local brewers won the legal right to produce beer in Žatec. That long tradition is visible throughout the town and surrounding landscape.
A museum near the brewery traces the region’s brewing history and offers guided tours that include tasting sessions, allowing visitors to sample beers that reflect the local hop character. These experiences link the agricultural landscape to the sensory qualities of Czech beer.
Several attractions help explain why Saaz hops prosper here. The Hop Lighthouse viewing tower and the Hop Astronomical Clock provide panoramic and interpretive perspectives on the hop year and local culture. The clock depicts the twelve zodiac signs and stages of the hop cycle, while an adjacent hop maze and other interpretive sites reveal cultivation techniques and traditions. The Renaissance malting house, with its malting exhibition and gallery, offers further insight into processes behind grain and hop preparation.
© Anna Rudnitskaya | Dreamstime.com
Outside the town center, the wider Žatec landscape remains dominated by hop culture. Fields line the Ohře River and surround villages such as Stekník. Traditional hop-drying kilns survive in Trnovany, and a Rococo chateau with an Italian terraced garden overlooks the hop-filled countryside, offering a striking contrast between cultivated land and historic architecture.
Žatec is located roughly 50 miles northwest of Prague, about a 1.5-hour drive, making it an accessible destination for those interested in agricultural heritage, brewing history, and the landscapes that shaped one of the world’s most famous hop varieties.