Prague 1
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Prague 1, day 265: Soukenická
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 Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 264: Petrské náměstí
Originally published on X on 22 June 2024. In the early Middle Ages, this area was a settlement called Poříčí (which means ‘riverside’). I’ll try not to give too much commentary on that today, as I’m saving it for a future thread. It was mainly inhabited by German merchants, who, around 1150, had a church Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 263: Lodecká
Originally published on X on 21 June 2024. We’ve spoken about how this was once an area of mills: https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/11/10/prague-1-day-258-nove-mlyny/. Specifically, ship mills, also known as ‘škrtnice’ (cutters) in Czech, existed on the Vltava as far back as the 1300s, and survived until 1818. A ‘ship’ in Czech is a ‘loď’, and, while ‘lodní’ is Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 262: Barvířská
Originally published on X on 20 June 2024. A ‘barva’ is a colour; it can also mean ‘dye’, although you will also hear ‘barvivo’ used for this. A place where dyeing takes place – i.e. a dyeworks or a dyehouse – is a ‘barvírna’, whereas one who engages in this trade – i.e. a dyer Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 261: Klimentská
Originally published on X on 19 June 2024. Clement of Rome, or Clement I, was the fourth Pope, serving from 88 to 99 AD. Persecuted by the Emperor Trajan, he was tied to an anchor and dragged out to sea. This is how he is portrayed at St Sofia’s Cathedral in Kyiv. A pre-Romanesque church 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 259: Novomlýnská
Originally published on X on 17 June 2024. Something of a day off for me today, because I posted this yesterday: https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/11/10/prague-1-day-258-nove-mlyny/. But, of course, the view of the tower from this street is different, so here you go. Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 258: Nové mlýny
Originally published on X on 16 June 2024. Before the New Town was founded in 1348, Prague got its water from public and private wells (there were aqueducts too, but these were only used for royal buildings and churches). Later, four waterworks were set up; the ones serving this part of the New Town were 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 256: Lannova
Originally published on X on 14 June 2024. Vojtěch Lanna was born in Čtyři Dvory, now part of České Budějovice, in 1805. He was the son of a shipmaster. When he was sixteen, he moved to Prague to study mechanical engineering at what is now ČVUT (the Czech Technical University). However, he was expelled for Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 255: Revoluční
Originally published on X on 13 June 2024. The street is located where the easternmost part of the Old Town walls once stood (see https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/11/09/prague-1-day-251-hradebni/). In the 1700s, the part nearer the river was called Náplavní or Náplavka, both referring to the riverbank. The southern part was called Trubní or Rourová – ‘trubka’ and ‘roura’ Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 254: Štefánikův most
Originally published on X on 12 June 2024. Milan Rastislav Štefánik was born in Košariská, a village nowadays in the Trenčín Region of Slovakia, in 1880. He was the son of an evangelical priest, Pavol Štefánik, who raised his children to be interested in Slovak history and culture. Leaving his village at nine, he went Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 253: Za Haštalem
Originally published on X on 11 June 2024. This guy again (this street is ‘behind’ the church): https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/11/05/prague-1-day-245-hastalske-namesti/. Wherever Castulus is watching this from right now, I hope it makes him happy knowing that, although he’s only got Wikipedia pages in 14 languages (cf. 123 for St Peter), he has *four* streets named after him Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 252: K Haštalu
Originally published on X on 10 June 2024. A quick one today: K Haštalu leads to the Church of Svatý Haštal, or Castulus, which I covered here: https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/11/05/prague-1-day-245-hastalske-namesti/. Some of Castulus’ relics are in the church; if you want to see more, you may wish to head to St Martin’s Church (officially named after ‘St. Martin Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 251: Hradební
Originally published on X on 9 June 2024. Soběslav I, Duke of Bohemia from 1125 to 1140 (https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/08/24/prague-2-day-96-sobeslavova/), started the process of fortifying Prague (‘hradby’ are fortifications). However, the process of fortifying the Old Town (and Malá Strana) really got going during the rule of Václav I (1230-1235, and, unlike Soběslav, as King), and would 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 249: Malá Klášterní
Originally published on X on 7 June 2024. A street with a name, but without a sign. Malá Klášterní translate as ‘Little Convent Street’, so let me take you back to here: https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/11/05/prague-1-day-243-anezska/. But what the street (all 30 metres of it) lacks in street signs, it makes up for in open spaces, specifically Zahrada 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 246: Haštalská
Originally posted on X on 4 June 2024. Same story as yesterday: https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/11/05/prague-1-day-245-hastalske-namesti/; this is what the church looks like from here. The square was actually part of this street until 1928. It was at number 26 that Max Brod, Kafka’s closest friend, was born (i.e. I missed a trick by not posting this one Continue reading
What's in a Prague street name 