What's in a Prague street name

Branická was built in 1911.

Originally, it was three separate streets. The first one was called Hlavní, because it was the main street in, yes, Braník (which wasn’t yet part of Prague).

The second one was called Husova, after Jan Hus – see https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/10/05/prague-1-day-169-husova/ for a bit more on him.

The third one was nameless. All three were consolidated as Branická in 1935.

The earliest mention we know of for Braník is from a charter dated 1088 which refers to ‘Branice’. It’s most likely linked to the defensive role the village played (‘branný’ translates as ‘defense’, as in ‘branná povinnost’ – compulsory military service.

In the 1300s, Braník alternated between belonging to royalty and to various monasteries; duty on driftwood collected here went to the canons of Prague Castle.

After the Hussite Wars, Braník belonged to Prague’s Old Town; it would be confiscated in 1547, although the Old Town would get it back twelve years later.

In 1625, Ferdinand II gave part of Braník to the Dominicans of the Old Town (who are mentioned on https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/10/06/prague-1-day-171-jilska/).

The most obvious proof of their presence in Braník is discussed on https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2025/11/03/prague-4-day-218-ve-dvore/.

Based on this painting by Bedřich Anděl, this is how the other side of Prague looked from Braník circa 1850.

By the time Braník was joined to Prague in 1922, it had 3,600 inhabitants (it currently has about 17,800).

In 1924, the foundation stone for the Braník Theatre was set; in 1925, the theatre opened. It’s a neoclassical building, created by Václav Šindelář, who would be responsible for some nearby residences a decade later (https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2025/10/27/prague-4-day-211-v-malych-domech-i/).

It’s also my favourite building in Braník by a mile.

Turns out that Radio Prague has been walking round Braník recently too: https://english.radio.cz/branik-rocks-where-pragues-prehistoric-past-meets-todays-city-life-8867183.