Hussite Wars
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Prague 4, day 230: Jiskrova
A street with this name was founded in Braník in 1935, but was destroyed in 1990 during construction works. In 1991, this street – about a kilometre away from the original Jiskrova – was given the name instead. Internet searches indicate that it was originally part of Modřanská (https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2025/09/29/prague-4-day-185-modranska/), but the map above isn’t helping Continue reading
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Prague 4, day 96: Mikuláše z Husi
Mikuláše z Husi was built in 1906. Until 1940, and again from 1945 to 1947, the street was known as Husova – as is a street in Prague 1: https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/10/05/prague-1-day-169-husova/. Mikuláš z Pístného was born around 1375, and the earliest written reference we have to him is from 1389. In 1406, King Václav/Wenceslas IV made Continue reading
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Prague 4, day 90: Na bitevní pláni
Na bitevní pláni was built in 1911. You may remember a nearby street whose name translates as ‘On the Victory Plain’, and which commemorates the Battle of Vyšehrad of November 1420: https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2025/02/01/prague-4-day-21-na-vitezne-plani/. Well, today’s street translates as ‘On the Battle Plain’ – or ‘On the Battlefield’ – and commemorates exactly the same battle. Continue reading
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Prague 4, day 89: Viktorinova
Viktorinova was built in 1931. Viktorín Boček z Kunštátu was a nobleman; the earliest written mention we have of him is from 1417. When the Hussite Wars broke out two years later, he became one of the most important Hussite commanders. In 1420, he participated in the Battle of Vyšehrad (https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2025/02/01/prague-4-day-21-na-vitezne-plani/), but left Prague shortly Continue reading
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Prague 4, day 88: Bohuslava ze Švamberka
Bohuslava ze Švamberka was built in 1938. Bohuslav (the sixth) was the son of Bohuslav (the fifth), who was the highest judge in Bohemia from 1390 to 1398. The Švamberks were a noble Catholic family. In 1417, Václav IV asked him to ensure security (ie to protect Catholics from Hussites) in Western Bohemia. Within a Continue reading
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Prague 4, day 87: Hradeckých
Hradeckých was built in 1931. This one can be explained by pointing to a few previous stories. Hradečtí are people from Hradec Králové, which, with 94,000 inhabitants, is Czechia’s eighth-largest city, and has a street named after it in Prague 3: https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2023/06/24/prague-3-day-176-hradecka/. By association, Hradečtí are also soldiers from Hradec Králové, and, near here, there Continue reading
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Prague 4, day 81: Hvězdova
Hvězdova was built in 1900. Jan Hvězda, nicknamed Bzdinka, was born in Vícemilice (near Čáslav, and nowadays known as Licoměřice), but we know nothing else about his early years. In the summer of 1421, Hussite priest Jan Želivský (https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2022/11/19/prague-3-day-23-jana-zelivskeho/) launched a coup; in October, he suggested that Hvězda be appointed Chief Hetman of Prague. In Continue reading
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Prague 4, day 26: Táborská
Originally, this was part of the road from Prague to České Budějovice and then on to Linz, and was therefore known as Linecká, Budějovická, or, reflecting its direct surroundings, Nuselská. From 1900 to 1940, and again from 1945 to 1947, it was named Palackého – see https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/08/31/prague-2-day-145-palackeho-namesti/ to learn about Mr Palacký. Tábor, population 34,000, Continue reading
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Prague 4, day 24: Lounských
Louny is a town of 18,000 people in the Ústí nad Labem Region, located about 20 km from the town we discussed yesterday, Žatec (https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2025/02/03/prague-4-day-23-zateckych/). Přemysl Otakar II (https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2025/01/06/prague-4-day-6-otakarova/) had a royal town built here in the 1260s. The rest of the story is very similar to yesterday’s – there was a rumour in Hussite Continue reading
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Prague 4, day 23: Žateckých
Žateckých was built in 1931. The street is named after a group of people from Žatec, a town of 20,000 people, located 62 km north-west of Prague. As late as the 1500s, it was one of the largest cities in Bohemia. More on https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/10/20/prague-1-day-207-zatecka/. In the late 1410s, many Hussites thought that the end of Continue reading
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Prague 4, day 21: Na Vítězné pláni
Na Vítězné pláni (On the Victory Plain) already existed in the first half of the 20th century, but wasn’t given its name until 1993. If you were ever a Czech schoolkid, you’ll be familiar with the Hussite Wars; if you weren’t, let’s take a trip back to 1420. In March, Pope Martin V issued a Papal Continue reading
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Prague 4, day 19: Petra Rezka
Petra Rezka was built in 1931. Until 1948, the street was named Leflova, after Jindřich Lefl z Lažan, a Polish-Czech nobleman who initially supported Jan Hus, and gave him a place to hide, but later changed sides and was killed by the Hussites at the Battle of Vyšehrad (more on that in two days’ time). Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 169: Husova
Originally published on X on 12 March 2024. Jan Hus was born around 1370, most likely in Husinec (https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2022/12/22/prague-3-day-115-husinecka/), and probably studied at the monastery in Prachatice until he was sixteen, when he moved to Prague. He later studied at Charles University, graduating in 1393, although he was much more interested in being a teacher Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 112: Jungmannovo náměstí
Originally published on X on 13 January 2024. I promise this is a square, and not a pair of glasses or a bikini top. On the one hand, I can cheat a bit on this one and send you back 24 hours: https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/09/15/prague-1-day-111-jungmannova/. On the other hand, the square itself deserves some attention. In 1347, Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 164: Karlovo náměstí
Originally published on X on 23 April 2023. Karlovo náměstí (Charles Square, or Karlák if you’re a local) was built in 1348. The square promptly became the centre of the New Town, being called Dobytčí trh (Livestock Market) until 1848. Upon its construction, it was the largest town square not only in Prague, but also Continue reading
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Prague 3, day 156: Sudoměřská
Originally published on Twitter on 26 September 2022. Sudoměřská was built in 1898. It was originally called Sudoměřická until 1958, when it was changed on the grounds that Sudoměřská is the grammatically correct adjective for something from Sudoměř, and Sudoměřická… is not. These days, Sudoměř is a village which is part of the municipality of Continue reading
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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, Continue reading
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Prague 3, day 120: Lipanská
Originally published on Twitter on 22 August 2022. Lipanská was built before 1875. The Battle of Lipany, also known as the Battle of Český Brod, was fought on 30 May 1434. On one side, you had the Táborites (radical Hussites), led by Prokop the Great (https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2022/11/24/prague-3-day-80-prokopovo-namesti/), and the similarly radical Sirotci (Orphans), led by Jan 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 111: Pod Vítkovem
Originally published on Twitter on 12 August 2022. Pod Vítkovem was built in 1872. It was known as Vítkov until 1947, and as ‘under Vítkov’ ever since. So here are the new facts about the memorial as promised during https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2022/12/04/prague-3-day-106-u-pamatniku/. The Nazis seized the lower buildings of the Museum in 1939, but somehow didn’t bother Continue reading
What's in a Prague street name 