What's in a Prague street name

Originally published on X on 2 January 2024.

Until the 1700s, this was known as V Opatovicích (see https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/09/13/prague-1-day-99-opatovicka/), but has been known by its current name since (‘Černá’ means ‘black’).

While it’s been suggested that there may have been a Mr Černý who owned property here, the most likely explanation is because the street is relatively narrow and, therefore, dark.

(And, if the first theory was correct, surely the street would be called Černého anyway)

Černá includes the Evangelical Faculty of Theology (ETF) of Charles University, and, while 2024 has only just begun, this may be the worst photo of a building in Prague that you’ll see all year.

Across the road is the house lived in by avant-garde artist and writer Karel Teige (1900-51); it also hosted a children’s home run by Dominican nuns. Currently, the same order offers student accommodation here.