Svätý Jur represents a traditional vineyard landscape located in south-west Slovakia. We mapped and analysed changes and persistence in Svätý Jur to bring additional insight into the development of cultural landscapes in Europe. We digitised a unique map from the end of the 17th century, and a set of historical maps and aerial images from 1783, 1858, 1950, 1985, and 2017. The area of vineyards has decreased since the 18th century as a result of periods of cold weather, high taxes for vinegrowers and the spread of human plagues and vineyard diseases. Today, urbanisation is changing the area and character of the vineyards. This confirms the dynamic character of landscapes. We compared the persistence and found that it decreased over time until the last period, when persistence increased. The results are also presented in an upgraded Sankey diagram depicting the temporal aspect of changes and persistence in the area.
Read full abstract