Castles
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Prague 4, day 7: Na Zámecké
Na Zámecké was built in 1900. ‘Zámecký’ is the adjective deriving from ‘zámek’ – a castle. In 1627, Sezima z Vrtby, a nobleman, purchased the then-village of Horní (Upper) Nusle. Around 1649, he had a manor house built where náměstí Bratří Synků is now. His grandson, Jan Josef z Vrtby (1669-1734), not only united Horní Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 149: Na Perštýně
Originally published on X on 20 February 2024. Pernštejn Castle is located about 40 kilometres northwest of Brno. It was founded in the second half of the 13th century, and is what we would classify as ‘well preserved’. The name ‘Pernštejn’ is derived from the original German name for the castle, ‘Bärenstein’ (the Bear Rock). Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 42: Zámecká
Originally published on the other place on 18 October 2023. A short one today, as befits a short street (only six addresses or thereabouts). Until the 19th century, the street was known as Ke stupňům (‘Towards the stairs’), with said stairs being these: https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/09/08/prague-1-day-40-zamecke-schody/). From 1829, it had the same name as the steps did Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 159: Na Zderaze
Originally published on X on 18 April 2023. Na Zderaze was built in 1869 and replaced a square which had been there before that. Zderaz is the name of a settlement that used to stand here. Legend has it that it was named after Zderad, who was a favourite attendant of 11th-century Bohemian ruler Vratislav Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 151: Jenštejnská
Originally published on X on 10 April 2023. Jenštejnská was built in 1894. Pavel z Jenštejna was born… somewhere, in the first half of the 14th century. From 1351 to 1374, i.e. during Karel IV’s reign, he was the royal chamber’s notary and the King’s bookkeeper. Karel’s writings referred to him as Paulo de Praga. He Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 139: Na Hrádku
Originally published on X on 29 March 2023. Na Hrádku was built in 1890. One of the important Czech noble families of the era was known as the Páni z Valdeka, the Lords of Valdek; the first one of them to be mentioned in writing is Oldřich Zajíc, who died in 1271. As of the Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 16: Budečská
Originally published on Twitter on 22 November 2022. Budečská was built in 1889. From 1940 to 1945, this was Humboldtova, after Wilhelm von Humboldt (1767-1835), Prussian philosopher, linguist, diplomat and founder of the Humboldt University of Berlin. Budeč, the remains of a castle, is a national cultural monument located 17 km north-west of Prague in Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 5: Lichnická
Originally published on Twitter on 11 November 2022. Lichnická was built in 1911. It seems we’re not done with the castle ruins just yet – Lichnice is another set, this time located in the Iron Mountains (Železné hory), 15 kilometres south of Chrudim (https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2023/06/24/prague-3-day-177-chrudimska/). It was founded by Smil ze Žitavy, a Czech nobleman, in Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 3: Kunětická
Originally published on Twitter on 9 November 2022. Kunětická was built in 1911. Kunětická hora is the name of both a hill near Pardubice and the ruins of a castle standing on it. Traces of fortifications indicate that the hill was already inhabited in prehistoric times. Václav Hájek of Libočany’s Chronicle (https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2022/11/19/prague-3-day-15-hajkova/) – admittedly not Continue reading
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Prague 3, day 112: Příběnická
Originally published on Twitter on 13 August 2022. Příběnická was built in 1899. It was called Chodská until 1947, after the old name for the area around Domažlice (https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2022/11/19/prague-3-day-14-domazlicka/). The Chodové, who lived in the region, were direct subjects of the King, and were responsible for guarding the border between Bohemia and Bavaria. Příběnice, meanwhile, Continue reading
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Prague 3, day 25: Buchovcova
Originally published on Twitter on 18 May 2022. Buchovcova was built in 1930. Zbyněk Buchovec z Buchova (died 1436?) was a Hussite warrior and commander (hejtman). Coming from a peasant family, he was elected one of the four governors of the newly founded town of Tábor in 1420 (one of the other three being Jan Žižka). Continue reading
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Prague 3, day 20: Ostromečská
Originally published on Twitter on 13 May 2022. Ostromečská was built in 1896. Ostromeč is a former castle, located north of the village of Hrazany in the Příbram district. Its foundations were laid in 1424 under the Hussite leadership of Jan Hvězda of Vícemilice. It was raided and demolished just four years later, but was Continue reading
What's in a Prague street name 