What's in a Prague street name

Originally published on X on 12 May 2024.

Bělidlo’ is bleach, whitener or a bleaching agent.

It can also be used to denote a bleachery, the part of a textile factory where chemical bleaching of textiles is carried out.

If you recognise the word, it might be because you’ve read Babička (https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/08/25/prague-2-day-110-bozeny-nemcove/), as part of the story took place in a building called the Staré bělidlo / Old Bleacher.

Where number 11 on Bílkova stands now, there was once a building called U Bílků. It’s believed that its name derived from ‘bělidlo’, and that this also led to the street name.

I’d have assumed that it was named after a Mr Bílek, but there you go.

The street was created in 1893 after the rehabilitation (asanace) of Josefov.

Originally, the western part was called ‘Masařská’ after its meat shops, the middle part was called Scheplsova after a spa owned by a Mr Scheples, and the eastern part was called V cípu.

As is this street, which I covered previously: https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/09/23/prague-1-day-140-v-cipu/.