What's in a Prague street name
Every street in Prague, one by one.
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I could talk about myself for ages, or I could point out that https://english.radio.cz/ed-ley-englishman-recording-stories-pragues-streets-one-one-8806941 is over two years old but still largely stands (other than the Twitter links).
Category: Prague 4
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Na Fidlovačce was built in 1906. A fidlovačka is a tool that a cobbler – i.e. a person who makes or repairs shoes – uses to smooth leather. The tool then gave its name to a spring festival which took place in the Nusle valley, by the Botič stream (https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/08/26/prague-2-day-115-boticska/). At this festival – which…
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Boleslavova was built in 1892. Boleslav was born in or around 915, the son of Vratislav I, Duke of Bohemia (pictured as seen at St George’s Convent – more on that one later), and his wife, Drahomíra. Accounts of the first few years of his life vary – and, for all we know, they could…
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Sezimova was built in 1900. Sezima z Vrtby was born into the noble Vrtba family in 1578. Starting his career in the service of the Rožmberks, another major noble family of the time, he served as hetman of the Vltava region on three occasions between 1606 and 1611. Sensing the way the tide was turning…
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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…
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Mečislavova was built in 1892. Mečislav is more commonly known as Měšek in Czech; in English, we use his Polish name, Mieszko. That was long thought to be a diminutive form of Mieczysław – still a common name in Poland – but many modern historians disagree. Mieszko was born… at some point (take your pick…
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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…
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Na Zámecké was built in 1900. ‘Zámecký’ is the adjective deriving from ‘zámek’ – a castle. In 1627, Sezima z Vrtby, a nobleman, purchased the then-village of Horní (Upper) Nusle. Around 1649, he had a manor house built where náměstí Bratří Synků is now. His grandson, Jan Josef z Vrtby (1669-1734), not only united Horní…
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Otakarova was built in 1900. Přemysl Otakar II was born in or around 1233, the son of Václav I, who had been King of Bohemia since 1230, and his wife, Kunigunde of Hohenstaufen. His older brother, Vladislav, became Margrave of Moravia and Duke of Austria in 1246, but died suddenly in 1247, probably of natural…
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Na Ostrůvku was built in 1906. An ‘ostrůvek’ is an island, but a small one – so you might wish to call it an islet (relatedly, a ‘dopravní ostrůvek’ is a traffic island). As you can see from the map above, we’re nowhere near the Vltava. However, we are very close to (as in ‘right…
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Another super-new street, only this time with an adequate picture of the street sign. Progress. Jaroslav Mužík was born in Nové Strašecí, near Rakovník, in 1858, but moved to Nusle shortly after. At school, one of his teachers was Petr Mužák, husband of the writer Karolina Světlá (https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/09/28/prague-1-day-153-karoliny-svetle/). He then went to university in Vienna.…
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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…
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We’re off! Závišova was built in 1892, which is also approximately when I finished work on What’s In a Prague 1 Street Name. Záviš z Falkenštejna was born around 1250, as a member of the South Bohemian branch of the noble Vítkov family. He was first mentioned in writing in 1262, when King Přemysl Otakar…
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Originally published on Twitter on 16 December 2022. Bělehradská was built in the 19th century. Until 1875, this was the Linecká silnice – the highway to Linz in Austria; it then became the Nuselská silnice – the highway to a somewhat nearer place, Nusle, until 1880. Then, from 1880 until the Great Geographical Renaming Funday…
What's in a Prague street name 