Nové Město
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Prague 2, day 165: Lazarská
Originally published on X on 24 April 2023. Lazarská was built around 1348, when the New Town was founded. Until the early 18th century, this was known as Dolejšek Dobytčího trhu, i.e. the part just below the Livestock Market, i.e. present-day Karlovo náměstí (https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/09/01/prague-2-day-164-karlovo-namesti/). After 1848, when Karlák got its current name, this street came 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 2, day 162: Odborů
Originally published on X on 21 April 2023. Odborů was built in 1897. Until 1947, this was the eastern part of Na Zbořenci: https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/09/01/prague-2-day-160-na-zborenci/. Then it was Kleinova until 1952. This story deserves to be told in a bit more detail than I’ve done for other street names that are no longer in use – Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 161: Myslíkova
Originally published on X on 20 April 2023. Myslíkova was built around 1348, when the New Town was founded. Originally nameless, the street became known as Pod Zderazem, due to its location ‘under Zderaz’: https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/09/01/prague-2-day-159-na-zderaze/. Then, it became known as Pasířská until about 1700, because of the craftsmen (a pasíř is one who makes decorative Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 160: Na Zbořenci
Originally published on X on 19 April 2023. Na Zbořenci was built in 1897. Prior to 1897, the western part of the street was called Zderazská, and the eastern part was called Na Zderaze, and, for a potted history of Zderaz, please take a look at https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/09/01/prague-2-day-159-na-zderaze/. Yesterday’s thread mentioned a not very catchily named Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 159: Na Zderaze
Originally published on X on 18 April 2023. Na Zderaze was built in 1869 and replaced a square which had been there before that. Zderaz is the name of a settlement that used to stand here. Legend has it that it was named after Zderad, who was a favourite attendant of 11th-century Bohemian ruler Vratislav Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 158: Záhořanského
Originally published on X on 17 April 2023. Záhořanského was built in 1877. Bernard Augustin Zahořanský was born in 1738, into a family which had originated in the town of Záhořany, becoming ennobled in 1600 and settling in Prague’s New Town three years later. He graduated in law and, in 1763, became a councillor at Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 157: Náplavní
Originally published on X on 16 April 2023. In the late 1700s, this street – or its precursor – was known as ‘U cihelny’, after a nearby brickyard (and if you want to know about a former brickyard in Prague 3, take a peek at https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2022/11/21/prague-3-day-69-u-stare-cihelny/). The name Náplavka appeared in the 19th century, after Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 156: Masarykovo nábřeží
Originally published on X on 15 April 2023. Masarykovo nábřeží (Masaryk Embankment) has existed in its current form since 1903. From 1903 to 1912, this was Františkovo nábřeží, after Francis II, who ruled Austria, Hungary, Croatia and Bohemia from 1792 to 1835. Then, from 1912 to 1940 (and again from 1945 to 1946), it was Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 154: Jiráskovo náměstí
Originally published on X on 13 April 2023. Jiráskovo náměstí was built in 1905 as a result of modifications to the riverbank. Until 1940, and again from 1945 to 1947, this was Riegrovo náměstí, after František Ladislav Rieger (1818-1903), politician, publicist, and early leader of the Czech nationalist movement. Under the Nazi occupation, it was Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 153: Resslova
Originally published on X on 12 April 2023. Until 1870, the street was known as U Hurta, Nad Hurtem, Hurtova or Hurtovská, all named after a building here (U Hurta) which hosted the municipal forge. Josef Ressel, meanwhile, was born to a Czech-German family in 1793 in Chrudim, which garnered him a quick mention on Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 152: Václavská
Originally published on X on 11 April 2023. Until 1839, the street had various names. One of these was Na Lávkách (on the footbridges), so called because there was a footbridge leading from the Old Town to Podskalí along here. A second name was Korunní, probably because of a house on the street that had Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 151: Jenštejnská
Originally published on X on 10 April 2023. Jenštejnská was built in 1894. Pavel z Jenštejna was born… somewhere, in the first half of the 14th century. From 1351 to 1374, i.e. during Karel IV’s reign, he was the royal chamber’s notary and the King’s bookkeeper. Karel’s writings referred to him as Paulo de Praga. He Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 150: Dittrichova
Originally published on X on 9 April 2023. Podskalí was built in 1894. František Dittrich was born in Podskalí – i.e. here – in 1801. Being deprived of both parents and his inheritance at an early age, he started to work as a raft swimmer on the Vltava, ultimately making enough money to open a Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 149: Gorazdova
Originally published on X on 8 April 2023. Gorazdova was built in 1870. Before 1947, this was the northern part of Podskalská: https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/08/26/prague-2-day-122-podskalska/ Matěj Pavlík was born in Hrubá Vrbka, near Hodonín, in 1879, and attended the Faculty of Theology in Olomouc from 1898 to 1902, after which he was ordained. During these studies, he Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 148: Trojanova
Originally published on X on 7 April 2023. Trojanova was built in 1897. Trojanova replaced a smaller street called ‘Kočičí’ when the district was given a major facelift in the late 19th century. Kočičí translate as ‘feline’ or ‘cat-like’, which is therefore the best street name ever, and, no offence to Mr Trojan or anyone, 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 146: Palackého most
Originally published on X on 5 April 2023. Palackého most (Palacký Bridge) was opened in 1878. Turns out Prague bridges don’t tend to get street signs, so here’s a couple of pics instead. We can keep this one fairly brief, as František Palacký was covered yesterday: https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/08/31/prague-2-day-145-palackeho-namesti/ During the Nazi occupation, the bridge was called Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 144: Na Slovanech
Originally published on X on 3 April 2023. Na Slovanech was built in the 14th century. This was called Emauzy until 1880 – see yesterday’s thread for more: https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/08/31/prague-2-day-143-namesti-pod-emauzy/ And it’s been called Na Slovanech since then – see this thread for details of who the eponymous Slavs were: https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/08/31/prague-2-day-140-pod-slovany/ Five churches founded by Karel Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 143: Náměstí Pod Emauzy
Originally published on X on 2 April 2023. Náměstí Pod Emauzy was built in 1925. In 1347, a year after the founding of Prague’s Old Town, Karel IV received permission from the Pope to found a Benedictine monastery in Podskalí. In the 1370s, the monastery was supplemented by a church: https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/08/31/prague-2-day-140-pod-slovany/ Karel wanted the monastery Continue reading
What's in a Prague street name 