Souvenirs along the Royal Route in Prague as an Object of Establishing and Negotiating Authenticity

• Authors: Půtová Barbora

Title variants

CS

Suvenýry na pražské Královské cestě jako objekt utváření a vyjednávání autenticity

• Languages of publication: CS

Abstracts

EN

The study focusses on the Royal Route in Prague, the major tourist enclave in the Czech Republic. The objective of the study was to create a typology of souvenirs and to ascertain the degree of authenticity, including the presentation of the potential and future of souvenirs along the Royal Route. The study first presents urban tourism and tourist enclaves framing the researched subject. Next, it describes the field research methodology used to define the consequences of the Royal Route transformation into a tourist enclave, to determine the souvenir typology, and to establish the staged authenticity. Mixed field research along the Royal Route focussed on identifying the structure of shop tenants and the assortment of goods and services offered. The assortment of goods they offer consists typically of mass-produced souvenirs and souvenirs that in most cases lack any link to Czech culture and traditions. The conclusion of the study is based on the synthesis of the methodologic part that raises a requirement for definition and conceptualization of an authentic souvenir. At the same time, the study takes into account any possible impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic that see the crisis as an opportunity to construct and negotiate an authentic souvenir along the Royal Route.

Keywords

EN

Royal Route in Prague; souvenir; authenticity; urban tourism; tourist enclave

• Publisher: The National Institute of Folk Culture
• Journal: Národopisná revue (Journal of Ethnology)
• Year: 2021
• Volume: 31
• Issue: 4
• Pages: 270 - 286

Contributors

author

Půtová Barbora