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: Hospitals
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Podolské nábřeží has existed in its current form since 1990. From 1904 to 1906, the part of the embankment leading from the Vyšehrad Tunnel (mentioned on https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/08/26/prague-2-day-122-podskalska/) to Podolská (which will get its own post in a couple of days) was called Vyšehradské nábřeží, ie the Vyšehrad Embankment. From 1906 to 1924, it was named…
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U podolského sanatoria was named in the 1940s. In 1909, a notable Czech doctor, Rudolf Jedlička (more on him on https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2025/05/15/prague-4-day-95-u-jedlickova-ustavu/) decided to build a modern institute – the Prague Sanatorium – to serve wealthy clients. Designed by architect Rudolf Kříženecký, it consisted of five interconnected buildings, with specialist institutes, operating rooms and various baths.…
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Originally published on X on 23 June 2024. ’Sukno’ is the Czech word for ‘broadcloth’ – i.e. plain, dense woven cloth, typically made of wool. These days, it’s mainly used for costumes. In the past, it was used for trousers, skirts, jackets and military uniforms (the Czech for ‘skirt’ is ‘sukně’). Somebody who weaves this…
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Originally published on X on 8 June 2024. In the 1100s, there was already a settlement round here, named Újezd and centered around today’s Church of St Castulus (https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/11/05/prague-1-day-245-hastalske-namesti/). When the Convent of Saint Agnes was built in 1231 (https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/11/05/prague-1-day-243-anezska/), the district started to grow. The order residing here was originally inspired by the Order…
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Originally published on X on 2 June 2024. Originally, the street was known either as U svatého Kříže – after a now-defunct church of the Holy Cross – or as U svaté Anežky (see yesterday: https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/11/05/prague-1-day-243-anezska/). Around 1350, a hospital was built here, founded by one Bohuslav z Olbramovic, and completed at the instigation of…
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Originally published on X on 23 March 2024. A ‘calta’ is a a type of medieval Bohemian pastry. They had some sort of ‘braided’ design on them, which means I’m currently picturing a hot cross bun, but probably more intricate. Google results for this pastry reveal more hits over in Slovakia than here, where it…
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Originally published on X on 28 March 2023. U Nemocnice was built before 1750. Until 1750, this was Dobytčí. That’s the adjective coming from dobytek – livestock – and recalls the market that used to exist here. Then it was named Ústavní (‘institutional’), after a local institute for noblemen. This lasted until 1800, when the…
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Originally published on X on 3 March 2023. We don’t know exactly Apolinářská was built, but it could date back as far as the early 1300s. Until about 1860, the street was known as Věterná hora, Větrov nebo Na Větrově, after the local hill, Větrov, so called because it was known for getting pretty windy…
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Originally published on X on 1 March 2023. Ke Karlovu was built a very long time ago. Until 1857, it was Karlovská; then, it was U Karlova until 1947, when it gained its current name. All three names point to the fact that the street leads to Karlov, which you can find more out about…
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Originally published on Twitter on 11 October 2022. V Horní Stromce was built in 1935. Horní Stromka (‘Upper Tree’) was an estate that appeared in this location around the 16th century. In 1723, it was purchased by a married couple called the Svobodas. In 1757, during the Seven Years’ War, the homestead was devastated during the…
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Originally published on Twitter on 5 October 2022. U Vinohradské nemocnice was built in 1925 and translates as ‘By Vinohrady Hospital’. What is now known as the University Hospital of Královské Vinohrady (Fakultní nemocnice Královské Vinohrady) was opened in 1902, and, a year later, was named ‘Všeobecná veřejná nemocnice císaře a krále Františka Josefa’. Catchy.…
What's in a Prague street name 