What's in a Prague street name

Originally published on Twitter on 4 September 2022.

Bořivojova was built in 1875.

In 1947, this street joined with Riegrova (also built in 1875).

Riegrova was named after František Ladislav Rieger (1818-1903), early leader of the Czech Nationalist Movement.

Old Franta still gets a park in Vinohrady with – life goals alert – a beer garden (which I need go back to soon), though, so don’t feel too bad for him.

Bořivoj I (no earlier than 852-no later than 890), meanwhile, was the first historically documented Duke of Bohemia.

He was said to be descended from Libuše (who prophesied the city of Prague) and Přemysl, ancestor of the Přemyslid dynasty.

Around 870, he became ruler of Bohemia, which was then part of Great Moravia (not the cheese). He was first mentioned in writing in 872, as a participant in the war against Louis the German, grandson of Charlemagne.

In the 880s, Bořivoj and his wife Ludmila (later St Ludmila of Bohemia) were baptised by Methodius. Bořivoj began to encourage the spread of Christianity, building Bohemia’s first church in Levý Hradec.

Bořivoj was deposed around 883, being restored to power by Svatopluk of Moravia in 885.

He died in 889, leaving two sons, Spytihněv (Duke of Bohemia from 894-ish until 915) and Vratislaus (Duke from 915 to 921). The latter was the father of Wenceslas I, the Good One.