What's in a Prague street name

Originally published on X on 3 September 2023.

U Brusnice was built in 1910.

Brusnice is a stream which has three sources, all in the vicinity of Břevnov Monastery. The most important one, Vojtěška, is named after St Vojtěch (or Adalbert of Prague), the country’s patron saint.

Legend has it that this was the spot where Vojtěch met up with King Boleslav II in 993 (Boleslav having founded the Diocese of Prague in 973), and founded the monastery.

These days, most of its 4.5 kilometres flows through pipelines, including under Nový Svět, before it meets the open air again around Jelení příkop (see pic). Heading back underground at Prašný most, it ultimately flows into the Vltava at Klárov.

The Písecká brána / Sand Gate in Prague 6 is not only not named after the town of Písek (have a read of https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2023/03/19/prague-3-day-175-pisecka/ if you want to find out about there anyway), but also has an alternative name: Bruská brána / Bruska Gate, after the stream.

Kosmas, in his Chronicle, tells us that Libuše (https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/08/23/prague-2-day-93-libusina/) prophesised that Prague Castle would be protected by the Brusnice.

U Brusnice is also the location of Lumbeho vila, a classicist house named after its builder, Karl Lumbe. It serves as the residence of the Czech president, or it will when PP finally moves in: https://ct24.ceskatelevize.cz/clanek/domaci/pavel-potvrdil-stehovani-do-lumbeho-vily-termin-ale-zatim-neni-jasny-7738

He’s currently in renovation mode: https://www.extra.cz/zpravy-prezidentsky-par-utraci-miliony-za-vybaveni-noveho-sidla-luxusni-sedacka-za-osmdesat-tisic-a-majlant-za-koberce-2c8bb

This pic, is, unsurprisingly, all you’re getting of the house.

A few doors down at number 9, U Brusnice also hosts the Municipal Library’s Department of Rare Prints.

(Update, three and a half months later)

PP finally moved in: https://www.idnes.cz/zpravy/domaci/prezident-petr-pavel-lumbeho-vila-eva-pavlova-hrad.A231214_101134_domaci_zof