What's in a Prague street name

Originally published on Twitter on 9 January 2023.

Na Kozačce was built around 1896.

Kozačka was another of the former vineyards around here. It was also known as Šindlerka, after one of its many owners.

The derivation of the name is unclear, but it could be after one Jan Kozihrb, who owned it in the 16th century. It’s unlikely to have anything to do with the fact that a kozačka is a type of boot.

In the 19th century, it was purchased by Marie Anna Wimmerová; her heirs sold it to a company that opened a park which was used to carry out research into field foxes. The research centre moved to Troja in 1870.

In 1871, it was purchased by Jan Stanislav Skrejšovský, a journalist who, given his pro-Czech views, became unpopular with the Habsburg authorities. He was declared bankrupt in 1878.

In 1900, the Vinohrady Credit Union purchased the land and immediately started to parcel it out.

During the Nazi occupation, the street was called Hynaisova, after Vojtěch Hynais (1854-1925), a painter who also created the curtain that’s still used at the National Theatre.