What's in a Prague street name

Originally published on X on 19 November 2023.

As has been covered a few times in the last few days, the island of Kampa came into being when a canal, Čertovka, was created, aiming to increase the water supply for the mills round here: https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/09/09/prague-1-day-69-na-kampe/.

In Renaissance times, there was a miller called Václav Sova of Liboslav. The building which included the mill was built in 1589, getting a Classicist revamp in the 19th century, and then, after a fire in 1867, a Neo-Gothic one.

Turned into a steam mill by its then-owner František Odkolek, it ceased to operate after 1896, as the result of yet another fire.

It was to the City of Prague in 1920, and gradually fell into disuse, but, after major renovations, it’s hosted Museum Kampa since 2002.

Outside it, you may recognise these babies (literally) by David Černý.

U Sovových mlýnů also includes the Liechtenstein Palace (1697-8).

This is where very important guests spend the night when they’re in Prague – including Liz, Phil and Charlie, top stars of Netflix drama ‘The Crown’, Juan Carlos de España, and, as conveniently left out of all Prague’s official websites right now, Vladimir Putin.

While Werich’s villa, just across the road, has had a good few famous people living in it: historian Josef Dobrovský (1798-1803), actor Jan Werich (1945-1980), and, between 1946 and 1948, his friend and fellow actor Jiří Voskovec.