Less than people expect, depending on the regime. For a house in a heritage area, a regional heritage authority decision approving the proposed alteration is needed before new construction or alterations, even if the house itself is not a monument. In a buffer zone, a binding opinion is required instead; for a cultural monument, a decision on the restoration proposal is required. The common rule is: obtain the decision on the proposal first, then commission the design.
A new owner of a house in a heritage zone usually assumes the heritage authority is relevant only if the house is itself a monument. Act No. 49/2002 Z. z. on the Protection of the Heritage Fund works differently: it also protects the area as a whole, so duties apply to ordinary houses within it. The first step is always to establish which of the three regimes covers the property.
Three regimes, three different procedures
If the house itself is a cultural monument, any restoration requires a regional heritage authority decision on the restoration proposal (§ 32(2) of Act No. 49/2002 Z. z.). If the house is not a monument but stands in a heritage area, meaning a heritage reserve or zone, the following applies:
Before commencing new construction or alterations to land or a building that is not a cultural monument (hereinafter “property alterations”) but is located in a heritage area, the owner must request a decision of the regional heritage authority by submitting an application for a decision on the proposed property alterations in the heritage area.
— § 32(5) of Act No. 49/2002 Z. z. (unofficial translation)
A decision is therefore needed even for a completely new building in the courtyard. A buffer zone has a third, less stringent regime: a binding opinion from the authority is required instead of a decision (§ 32(11)). Demolition in a heritage area is not considered an alteration. However, for demolition, as for activities requiring only notification, the building authority still requests the heritage authority’s opinion, because the regional heritage authority is a consulted authority under § 32(12).
Approval of the proposal comes before the design
The statutory order of steps is the reverse of usual building practice: in its decision on the proposal, the authority sets principles for building massing, height arrangement and exterior architectural design. Only then is it sensible to commission a design based on them. Documentation for alterations in a heritage area may also be prepared only by an authorised person; it must be discussed with the authority during preparation, and the authority issues a separate binding opinion on each set of preparatory and design documentation. The application itself is straightforward: the Monuments Board of the Slovak Republic provides a form, and the proposal includes property details, ownership and other property-right information, planned use, and a specification of anticipated changes in area and space.
What happens if work starts without involving the authority?
If alterations begin without a final decision on the proposal, the authority opens proceedings and calls on you to stop work until a decision is issued. It exercises state heritage supervision during the works. Where work contravenes a decision or opinion, it may order a stoppage by a decision against which an appeal has no suspensive effect; construction then remains stopped until the matter is resolved. If unexpected finds are uncovered, they must be reported and work endangering them stopped; the authority decides the next steps within three working days of notification.
The limits of work “without the heritage authority”
The Act attaches duties to new construction and alterations to land or buildings; the authority’s conditions target the exterior and the area’s outward appearance. At the same time, every owner of property in a heritage area must manage it without endangering the area’s heritage value. We therefore recommend clarifying the boundary for a particular proposal with the authority in advance: consultation costs less than a stopped project. If you later sell the house and it is itself a monument, remember the offer to the state; we explain this in our answer on selling a cultural monument.
How we can help
We establish which regime covers the house, prepare the application for a decision on the alteration proposal and defend you if work is stopped through our property in a heritage area service. Construction project coordination handles the building authority permitting stage, and if you are still buying a house in a zone, we check the heritage regime before signing through property purchase.
If you already have a design or a construction date, contact us promptly: it is difficult to restore the sequence of “proposal first, design second” retrospectively.
This answer provides general information on the law as at 29 August 2026. It does not constitute legal services or replace an assessment of an individual case. The details of your situation may differ. Book a consultation to discuss them.
