Mixed
Paysage culturel de Fertö / Neusiedlersee
Hongrie
Photo : Haeferl (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Located on the border between Hungary and Austria, this cultural landscape encompasses the Fertö/Neusiedlersee lake and its surrounding plains, representing a unique natural and human environment in Central Europe. The site demonstrates exceptional testimony to traditional land-use practices and settlement patterns that have evolved over centuries in response to the specific ecological conditions of the steppe region. The shallow lake, Europe's largest in this category, and its extensive reed beds have sustained a distinctive way of life characterized by fishing, reed harvesting, and agriculture adapted to the local hydrological conditions. The cultural landscape is marked by traditional villages with vernacular architecture, vineyards, and agricultural systems that reflect the historical interaction between human communities and their environment. The inscribed area illustrates the continuity and adaptation of settlement patterns from prehistoric times through the medieval period to the present day. The site's significance lies in its demonstration of how cultural traditions and land management practices have maintained a balanced relationship with this sensitive lakeside ecosystem.
