Ministries
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Prague 1, day 285: Těšnovský tunel
Originally published on 13 July 2024. And today, we come to the end of the road(s). For the story of the name Těšnov, see yesterday: TESNOV Commissioned in 1980, the 360-metre excavated road tunnel connects Nábřeží Ludvíka Svobody (https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/11/10/prague-1-day-284-tesnov/) with Rohanské nábřeží (on the other side, and therefore in Prague 8). It’s near the Ministries Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 284: Těšnov
Originally publishe3d on X on 12 July 2024. The first written mention of Těšnov, a settlement just outside the New Town walls, and only consisting of a few guardhouses, dates from 1437. (Photo of the Pořící gate before its destruction in 1875) You might remember that Pořící – immediately to the west – was largely Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 279: Holbova
Originally published on X on 7 July 2024. This is the closest you’re getting, and if you were there, you’d understand. Back in the 15th century, there was a royal spa here. It was owned by a Jakub Holba, who I can’t find any more information about. Between then and its current status as what Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 260: U nemocenské pojišťovny
Originally published on X on 18 June 2024. A ‘nemocenská pojišťovna’ is a ‘health insurance company’, and, between 1924 and 1926, a building designed by Bohumil Hypšman and František Roith was created to house one of these. This coincided roughly with the same time that grand ministerial buildings were being built on the Vltava (https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/11/10/prague-1-day-257-nabrezi-ludvika-svobody/). Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 257: Nábřeží Ludvíka Svobody
Originally published on X on 15 June 2024. ‘Nábřeží’ = ‘Embankment’. Ludvík Svoboda was born in Hroznatín, a village in Vysocina Region, in 1895. His father died a year later (apparently after being kicked by a horse), and his mother remarried in 1898. He attended the Agricultural School in Velké Meziříčí, and was then called Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 250: Na Františku
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 Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 248: Klášterská
Originally published on X on 6 June 2024. Quick one today: a ‘klášter’ is a monastery, convent, nunnery or cloister, and this convent was already discussed a few days ago: https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/11/05/prague-1-day-243-anezska/. The church that has its address on Klášterská is the Church of St Salvator (Christ the Saviour), opened in 1611 (and the garden that’s Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 247: Řásnovka
Originally published on X on 5 June 2024. Jan Řásný z Řásnova was, in the 17th century, the hetman of Strahov Monastery (which is on the other side of the river, but got covered on https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/09/08/prague-1-day-30-strahovske-nadvori-strahov-courtyard/). I’ll admit to not being entirely sure what a ‘hetman’ is when we’re dealing with a monastery – back in the Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 201: Mariánské náměstí
Originally published on X on 14 April 2024. A long time ago, there was a village here called Na Louži. A ‘louže’ is a puddle or a pool, and the name possibly came from the fact that the area, not being too far from the Vltava, was vulnerable to flooding. In what is now the Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 190: Staroměstské náměstí (Old Town Square)
Published on X on 2 and 3 April 2024 (there was a fair amount to say). Part 1: the history In 1338, John of Luxembourg (King of Bohemia from 1310 to 1346) gave the Old Town permission to build itself a town hall. This seemed like the perfect location, as a major market had existed 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 127: Politických vězňů (Political prisoners)
Originally published on X on 29 January 2024. When the New Town was founded, this street was named Angelova, after Angelo of Florence (died 1408), court apothecary under Charles IV and his son, Wenceslas IV. In 1757, it was renamed Bredovská after the noble Bredow family (Josef Breda was the governor of Prague’s Old Town, Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 77: Harantova
Originally published on X on 24 November 2023. Kryštof Harant z Polžice a Bezdružice was born in Klenová, now in Plzeň Region, in 1564. He grew up in North Tyrol, and worked as a courtier for Ferdinand II, Archduke of Austria. Returning to Bohemia in 1584, he tried to get a job at the court Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 73: Nosticova
Originally published on X on 20 November 2023. The Nostitz / Nostic family were first mentioned in 1280, originating in Upper Lusatia (now in Germany – take a look at https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/02/14/prague-2-day-28-luzicka/ for a primer). Around 1600, the family started to make a career at the Bohemian court; their conversion to Catholicism would be useful to Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 39: Karmelitská
Originally published on X on 13 October 2023. This story starts in Mount Carmel, a mountain range on the northern coast of Israel in which the city of Haifa is located. In the 13th century, a group of men settled here and founded the Brothers of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel, living in Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 22: Loretánská
Originally published on X on 20 September 2023. We talked about Loreto and The Loretas recently: https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/09/07/prague-1-day-17-loretanske-namesti/. But this is Hradčany, so we can happily move on to talking about beautiful buildings instead. Number 1 is Hradčany Town Hall, built around 1600. It fulfilled this role until 1784, when the four historical districts of Prague Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 18: Černínská
Originally published on X on 12 September 2023. Černínská was built around or before 1700. From the 1700s, this was known as Nový Svět (New World), as were current-day Nový Svět and Kapucínská (https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/09/07/prague-1-day-16-kapucinska/). It then became Zadní (Lower) Nový Svět in the early 1800s, later being treated as part of Kapucínská before gaining its Continue reading
What's in a Prague street name 