What's in a Prague street name

Every street in Prague, one by one.

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I could talk about myself for ages, or I could point out that https://english.radio.cz/ed-ley-englishman-recording-stories-pragues-streets-one-one-8806941 is over two years old but still largely stands (other than the Twitter links).

Category: 1885

  • Prague 4, day 121: U podolského hřbitova

    U podolského hřbitova was named in the 1940s. Yesterday’s street name could be mistaken for being about a cemetery (https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2025/06/17/prague-4-day-120-nad-cementarnou/); today’s is. There’s a street in Podolí which is called Pod Vyšehradem; it’ll get its own post soon enough, but for now it’s enough to say two things. Firstly, it is, indeed, below Vyšehrad. Secondly,…

  • Prague 2, day 103: Neklanova

    Originally published on 17 February 2023. Neklanova was built around 1885. We’re still on the post-Přemysl, pre-Bořivoj mythical princes. Neklan was number six, and was the father of number seven, Hostivít. Again, there are theories as to where his name came from. One is that, due to his love of peace*, Neklan did ‘not tilt’…

  • Prague 2, day 8: Legerova

    Originally published on Twitter on 14 November 2022. Legerova was built in 1885 (the other side of the road is in Prague 1, and the street sign pic is from that side). It was called Legerova from 1923 to 1940, from 1945 to 1978, and since 1990. (also: excellent hat on the other sign) Until…

  • Prague 3, day 186: U Vodárny

    Originally published on Twitter on 26 October 2022. U Vodárny was built in 1885. It was known as Gebauerova from 1940 to 1945, after Jan Gebauer (1838-1907), one of the most important Czech linguists. He famously exposed the Manuscripts of Dvůr Králové and Zelená Hora (which I really hope I get to write about one…

  • Prague 3, day 155: Baranova

    Originally published on Twitter on 25 September 2022. Baranova was built in 1885. It was named Vratislavova until 1940 and again from 1945 to 1947, after Vratislav II, who is in this bumper here’s-all-the-Přemyslids-thread from a few days back: https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2023/02/26/prague-3-day-152-premyslovska/. It was then called Habánská from 1940 to 1945, after the Habaners, the Hutterites (that’s…

  • Prague 3, day 148: Ondříčkova

    Originally published on Twitter on 18 September 2022. Ondříčkova was built in 1885. Until 1937, this was Břetislavova, presumably after Břetislav I (1005-1055), II (1060-1100) III (died 1197), all Dukes of Bohemia. František Ondříček was born on Nový Svět in Hradčany in 1857, and played violin in taverns and cafes as part of his father’s…

  • Prague 3, day 138: Kubelíkova

    Originally published on Twitter on 8 September 2022. Kubelíkova was built in 1885. Until 1930, this was Libušina, after Libuše, ancestor of the Přemyslid dynasty and of the Czechs. So the number of streets named after women in Prague 3 has actually gone *down* over the years. Gah. From 1930 to 1947, it was Dvořákova, after Antonín Dvořák,…

  • Prague 3, day 135: Čajkovského

    Originally published on Twitter on 5 September 2022. Čajkovského was built in 1885. Known as Tomkova until 1952, after Václav Vladivoj Tomek (1818-1905), a historian, conservative politician and archivist, best known for his twelve-volume Dějepis města Prahy (History of the City of Prague). Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-93), meanwhile, as composer of Swan Lake, the Nutcracker…

  • Prague 3, day 131: Vita Nejedlého

    Originally published on Twitter on 1 September 2022. Vita Nejedlého was built in 1885. This one’s been through its fair share of other names. Until 1940, and again from 1945 to 1947, it was Veleslavínova, after Daniel Adam z Veleslavína (1546-99), lexicographer, publisher, translator and secret member of the Unitas Fratrum (https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2022/11/26/prague-3-day-83-ceskobratrska/). From 1940 to…

  • Prague 3, day 124: Táboritská

    Originally published on Twitter on 25 August 2022. Táboritská was built in 1885. The Táborites have come up *cough* more than once *cough* in these posts, so here’s a quick brief. They were radical Hussites, known as ‘Picards’ by their enemies. Aiming to develop a communal society, they founded the town of Tábor in 1420,…

  • Prague 3, Day 116: Krásova

    Originally published on Twitter on 17 August 2022. Krásova was built in 1885. Jan Krása was a merchant from Prague, who was an alderman for the New Town from 1390 to 1413. A fervent supporter of Jan Hus, he was one of the leaders of an uprising in Wrocław in 1418, where seven councillors were…

  • Prague 3, day 110: U Božích bojovníků

    Originally published on Twitter on 11 August, 2022. U Božích bojovníků was built in 1885. Boží bojovníci are ‘warriors of God’. Yes, we’re obviously talking about Hussites again. But today I get to compensate for that with music! Ktož jsú boží bojovníci (written ‘Ktoz jsu bozi boyownici’ back in the day) / ‘Ye who are…

  • Prague 3, day 107: Orebitská

    Originally published on Twitter on 8 August 2022. Orebitská was built in 1885. The Orebites (Orebité) were a radical branch of the Hussites, named after a procession that they took part in on Mount Oreb, which is located in Třebechovice. Oreb itself was named after Horeb, the mountain at which Moses received the Ten Commandments.…

  • Prague 3, day 78: Chelčického

    Originally published on Twitter on 10 July 2022. Chelčického was built in 1885. Petr Chelčický (1379-1460-ish) was most likely a pseudonym for Petr Záhorka, born in the Chelčice region (in South Bohemia). He was a writer, translator and theologian, one of the most important figures of the Czech Reformation. He didn’t have a university education,…

  • Prague 3, day 75: Pitterova

    Originally published on Twitter on 7 July 2022. Pitterova was part of Chelčického (coming up in a few days) from 1885 until 1996, when it was given a name of its own. Přemysl Pitter was born in Smíchov in 1895. He studied typography in Leipzig in 1911-2, and, after his father’s death a year later,…