What's in a Prague street name

Originally published on X on 26 October 2023.

These supposed ‘old castle steps’ have been around since the 17th century. Which, sure, makes them old, but doesn’t make them older than the supposedly ‘new’ castle steps discussed on https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/09/08/prague-1-day-40-zamecke-schody/.

They were given a reconstruction in 1835-7, and have had their current name since then.

They’re also less numerous – 121 versus 220 – but the views are good (there would be better ones if I hadn’t been faced by an onslaught of 3,753,446 tourists at this particular moment).

The steps also have a song dedicated to them, written and sung by the multi-talented Karel Hašler (1879-1941, killed at Mauthausen due to his patriotic songs):

In short, a beautiful maiden walks up the steps every evening, but with a man other than the singer. Sad face.

A statue of Hašler was inaugurated on the steps in 2009:

This 1967 version by Waldemar Matuška is a great opportunity to see some colour footage of Prague:

While this one’s pretty great for the B&W stuff: