What's in a Prague street name

Originally published on X on 21 September 2023.

You may remember me mentioning the former town hall in Loretánská yesterday, largely because it’s awesome: https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/09/08/prague-1-day-22-loretanska/

In Czech, a town hall is called a radnice, because a council (rada) would meet there (see also: the German Rathaus).

The adjective from radnice is radnický, and schody are ‘steps’.

127 of these run directly south-east of the former town hall, hence their being given this name in 1870.

Online sources say that there are two statues at the foot of the stairs. I can vouch for the first one of these, which is of Jan Nepomucký with two angels at his feet.

But the other statue – of St Joseph and the baby Jesus – seemed to be off enjoying the unseasonally hot weather when I passed by.

Ah. He’s getting some much-needed maintenance: https://www.ghmp.cz/vystavy/prazdno-po-svetci-a-void-after-a-saint/