The latest entry for the Czech Republic on the UNESCO Cultural Heritage list dates to 2010. It concerns the Shrovetide door-to-door processions in the Hlinecko area, which have remained unaltered since the 19th century. Or at least the first detailed records come from this period. The tradition itself is much older and it can be assumed that it has not undergone significant changes since its very beginnings.
Shrovetide (otherwise known as carnival) is the term for the period from the Epiphany to Ash Wednesday, when Lent begins according to Christian tradition. This period reaches its climax in the Shrovetide processions. The Czech term for the period, masopust, is equivalent to the Italian carnevale (both meaning something like ‘farewell to meat’ in their respective languages). On Shrove Tuesday (the day before Ash Wednesday), people in various colourful costumes indulge in fun for the last day of gluttony before the long fast. The processions pass through the whole village and are a popular attraction nowadays.