Mythology
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Prague 4, day 116: Na Hřebenech II
Na Hřebenech II was built in 1941. The street, obviously, got its name from the same source as Na hřebenech I (https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2025/06/12/prague-4-day-115-na-hrebenech-i/). So let’s talk about the western part of Pankrác Plain, known as Kavčí hory, instead. A ‘kanec’ is a wild boar. According to Czech mythology, a man called Bivoj caught a ‘kanec’ in Continue reading
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Prague 4, day 58: U Libušiných lázní
U Libušiných lázní was built in 1934. Libuše has been discussed in some detail before – see https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/08/23/prague-2-day-93-libusina/ – but the short version is that she was a legendary ancestor of the Přemyslid dynasty. She is also said to have predicted the future existence of a city you might have heard of. It’s called Prague. Continue reading
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Prague 4, day 51: Na Jezerce
Na Jezerce was built in 1925. A spring called Jezerka is mentioned way back in Cosmas’ Chronica Boemorum (written from 1119 to 1125). Apparently, Libuše – she who predicted the founding of the city of Prague (https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/08/23/prague-2-day-93-libusina/) – used to go here to get water to bathe in. In the Middle Ages, there was a Continue reading
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Prague 4, day 18: Křesomyslova
Křesomyslova was built in 1892. We’re not even a month into the Prague 4 series, but the story of the seven mythological dukes of Bohemia has already come up before: https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2025/01/03/prague-4-day-3-mnatova/. Křesomysl was the fifth of these seven alleged dukes. The verb ‘křesat’ means ‘to strike’ – as in making two hard materials collide so Continue reading
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Prague 4, day 10: Vlastislavova
Vlastislavova was built in 1892. We’re back onto the mythological figures today. The story of the seven mythical dukes of Bohemia was last told on https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2025/01/03/prague-4-day-3-mnatova/. However, of more relevance is the story of Duke Number Four, Vnislav (https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/08/25/prague-2-day-102-vnislavova/), because he supposedly had a brother called Vlastislav. Their father was Vojen who, somehow, has missed Continue reading
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Prague 4, day 8: Ctiradova
Ctiradova was built in 1900. It was called U nádraží until 1928, due to its location near the train station – we’ll get onto that soon-ish. We’re back in mythology territory today, and it’ll help if you take a look at the story of Libuše: https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/08/23/prague-2-day-93-libusina/. If you’re pressed for time: Libuše ruled over her Continue reading
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Prague 4, day 3: Mnatova
No street sign today, as this still seems to be a construction site, and I’m too British to ask if I’m allowed in. The first historically documented Duke of Bohemia was Bořivoj I, who ruled from about 867 until about 889 – more about him in Prague 3: https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2023/01/14/prague-3-day-134-borivojova/. Mythology tells us that there were Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 147: Na Moráni
Originally published on X on 6 April 2023. Na Moráni was built centuries ago, but was extended in the 19th. Until that extension, the street was called Emauzská ulička (see https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/08/31/prague-2-day-143-namesti-pod-emauzy/). Morana is a pagan Slavic goddess whose super-multitasking father Perun has a street relatively nearby (https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2023/12/23/prague-3-day-183-perunova/). Well, sort of – the rituals around her Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 103: Neklanova
Originally published on 17 February 2023. Neklanova was built around 1885. We’re still on the post-Přemysl, pre-Bořivoj mythical princes. Neklan was number six, and was the father of number seven, Hostivít. Again, there are theories as to where his name came from. One is that, due to his love of peace*, Neklan did ‘not tilt’ Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 102: Vnislavova
Originally published on X on 16 February 2023. If you read yesterday’s post, you might have an idea of where we’re heading already: Vnislav was the fourth of the seven legendary princes between Přemysl and Bořivoj. While the sequence suggests that Vnislav’s name relates to Wednesday, the context isn’t entirely clear. It’s possible that there Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 101: Hostivítova
Originally published on X on 15 February 2023. Hostivítova was built in 1891. See https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/08/20/prague-2-day-83-nezamyslova/ for a discussion of how Kosmas claimed there were seven legendary princes of Bohemia between Přemysl (yesterday’s thread) and Bořivoj (who actually existed). Hostivít was number seven, and is therefore assumed to be Bořivoj’s father. If he existed, we can Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 100: Přemyslova
Originally published on X on 14 February 2023. Přemyslova was built in 1892. As told here, Kosmas wrote in his chronicle that Přemysl Oráč (the Ploughman) was discovered by Libuše when a bunch of men threw a tantrum about a woman being in charge: https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/08/23/prague-2-day-93-libusina/. Upon being plucked from obscurity by a horse, Přemysl placed Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 93: Libušina
Originally published on X on 7 February 2023. Libušina was built so long ago that I can’t even guess the century. Until the mid-19th century, the street was known as Převoznická (approx. ‘Ferry Street’), because this was where the once-upon-a-time ferry to/from Vyšehrad would stop / start. As mentioned a couple of days back, Libuše Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 90: Krokova
Originally published on X on 4 February 2023. Krokova was built in 1892. During the Nazi occupation, this was Jarlochova, after Jarloch (1165-1228), an abbot who wrote one of the post-Kosmas parts of the Chronica Boemorum. Speaking of Kosmas’s Chronicle? That’s our source for information about Krok. Kosmas says that the first Czechs in Bohemia Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 83: Nezamyslova
Originally published on X on 28 January 2023. Nezamyslova was built in 1892. Legend has it that, between Přemysl Oráč, the legendary founder of the Přemyslid dynasty, and Bořivoj, the first properly documented Duke of Bohemia (https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2023/01/14/prague-3-day-134-borivojova/), there were seven princes. Nezamysl was one of them. There are two particularly interesting theories as to where Continue reading
What's in a Prague street name 