What's in a Prague street name

Originally published on X on 28 January 2024.

Alois Oliva was born in Kutná Hora in 1822, but went to school in Dresden, where he had relatives.

Going straight into employment after he finished school, he was, by the age of 20, a procurator. He then joined a sugar factory in Ruzyně, eventually becoming a partner. He founded his own sugar business in Prague in 1864.

Around the same time, Oliva became a member of Prague’s city council, supervising (and giving financial support to) a school on nearby Jindřišská. He also co-founded the Prague Stock Exchange.

He was elected to the Czech Land Assembly in 1865, and to the Imperial Council in Vienna in 1873, which he never attended until 1879 due to the Czech policy of passive resistance (and he resigned his post in 1880 anyway).

In 1890, he and his wife, Louisa, donated two of their properties on Na příkopě to the Municipality of Prague. The Municipality had to guarantee that any profits generated from the use of these buildings would be used to fund a home for disadvantaged children.

Girls were to be favoured (there were meant to be twice as many girls as boys), there would be a focus on practical education, and all teaching was to take place in Czech rather than German.

It was to be known as Dětský vychovací ústav Aloisa a Louisy Olivových (The Alois and Louisa Oliva Children’s Educational Institution), or, for short, Vychovatelna Olivových.

The City of Prague accepted the offer, and, to show its gratitude, renamed this street – where the Olivas owned two other properties (the street was previously called ’Sirotčí’ – Orphanage – because it included one).

Building started in 1892 in Říčany – shortly after Louisa’s death – and the facility was officially opened in 1896.

Oliva died in 1899, and is buried, along with his wife, at Olšany Cemetery.

In 1926, the facility was turned into a sanatorium for children from Prague. Since 1980, it’s been used as a treatment centre for children with upper respiratory tract diseases. It also deals with treatments for those who are overweight or obese: https://www.olivovna.cz/.