The living history of Czech dams: Public perceptions of the Lipno Dam from the 1950s to the present

In the Czech Republic, discussions on dams convey a sense of ambivalence. Despite awareness of the cultural and natural losses their construction entails, existing dams are nonetheless commonly received positively, as seemingly natural landscape features, admirable technical achievements and recreational destinations. Taking the Lipno Dam on the Vltava River, built 1951–1959, as an example, I consider views of the region, asking what factors contribute to this generally positive perception. The reasons lie partly in cultural history, for example, a generationally transferred desire for the sea, and an enthusiasm for technology, both of which persist through successive state regimes.