France
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Prague 4, day 173: Bohuslava Martinů
Bohuslava Martinů was built in 1966. Bohuslav Martinů was born in a church in Polička (near Pardubice) in 1890. From 1906 to 1910, he attended the Prague Conservatory, studying the violin, the organ and composition, but didn’t complete his studies, partly because he was much more interested in exploring Prague (Bohuslav, I hear you). However, Continue reading
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Prague 4, day 29: Náměstí Generála Kutlvašra
Náměstí Generála Kutlvašra (General Kutlvašr Square) was built in 1911. Karel Kutlvašr was born in Michalovice, near Havlíčkův Brod, in 1896. Graduating from business school in 1911, he first worked in Humpolec, then in Kyiv. However, when World War One started, he joined the Czech Company, a volunteer unit consisting of Czechs living in the Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 223: Náměstí Curieových
Originally published on X on 9 May 2024. Pierre Curie was born in Paris in 1859. He was educated at home by his parents (his father was a doctor), and took his baccalaureate in science when he was 16. Two years later – when he was just 18 – he would already have a degree Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 217: Pařížská
Originally published on X on 3 May 2024. Paříž is the capital of Francie, and I’m now realising that I somehow haven’t been since 2016. Here are two photos from that day. I’ve mentioned the ‘asanace’ (rehabilitation) of Prague at the start of the 20th century several times, mainly to talk about things that were Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 196: Karlova
Originally published on X on 9 April 2024. Charles/Karel/Karl was born in 1316, as the son of John of Bohemia and his wife Elizabeth. Because these family trees aren’t confusing enough, his birth name was actually Václav, but he chose the name Charles at his confirmation. In 1323, his father sent him to France, where Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 171: Jilská
Originally published on X on 14 March 2024. ‘Jiljí’ is the Czech version of ‘Aegidius’. This is a name that’s changed more than many others when entering other languages – in English, we know it as ‘Giles’. Saint Giles, meanwhile, was born in Athens and is said to have founded the Abbey of Saint-Gilles in Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 146: Martinská
Originally published on X on 17 February 2024. Way back in the 1100s, there was a settlement here called Újezd, meaning the same as but not to be confused with https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/09/11/prague-1-day-81-ujezd/. Between 1178 and 1187, the Church of St Martin was built, and, after that, the name of the settlement was updated to Újezd u Svatého Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 71: Velkopřevorské náměstí
Originally published on X on 18 November 2023. A převor is a prior – a word whose meaning differs depending on what kind of monastery they’re in. Among Dominicans, Augustinians, Brothers of Mercy and other Catholic orders, a prior is any monastic superior. Among Premonstratensians, Benedictines and Cistercians, however, a prior would be directly subordinate Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 45: Francouzská
Originally published on Twitter on 21 December 2022. Francouzská was built in 1884. Like Anglická (and Moskevská in Prague 10), this was formerly part of the highway leading to Vršovice: https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/03/02/prague-2-day-39-anglicka/. Then, also like Anglická (and Moskevská), it was renamed to Palackého until 1926. In 1940, both Anglická and Moskevská became Bismarckova, after Otto von Continue reading
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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 Continue reading
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Prague 3, day 121: Miličova
Originally published on Twitter on 21 August 2022. Also, this was actually day 120, and Lipanská, which I’ve posted as day 120, was actually day 121. Like any of this matters. Miličova was built before 1875. Milíč z Kroměříže was born around 1325 in Tečovice, and was educated in Olomouc. From 1358 to 1362, he Continue reading
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Prague 3, day 74: Ke Kapslovně
Originally published on Twitter on 6 July 2022. Ke Kapslovně was built in 1975, but was called U Stadionu (Stadium) until 2008. Louis Sellier and Jean Maria Nicolaus Bellot founded a company, Sellier & Bellot, in Žižkov in 1825, which made cartridges for infantry, as well as matches (up to 60 million per year). The Continue reading
What's in a Prague street name 