Prague Spring
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Prague 4, day 86: Náměstí Hrdinů
In 1938, this square was first named individually on maps – but it was called Soudní náměstí (Court Square), after the Prague High Court, which had moved here in 1933 (see https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2025/03/25/prague-4-day-57-soudni/). During the Prague Uprising of May 1945 (https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2025/02/05/prague-4-day-25-5-kvetna-5-may/), barricades stood in front of the court, aiming to stop the Nazis from reaching Pankrác; 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 182: U Obecního domu
Originally published on X on 25 March 2024. From 1383 onwards, the Royal Court, which stood here, was the residence of all Czech kings. This state of affairs lasted for a century, until Vladislav II decided that Prague Castle was a nicer location (see https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/10/10/prague-1-day-181-u-prasne-brany/). The buildings were used for various purposes after that*, at Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 104: Náměstí Václava Havla
Originally published on X on 5 January 2024. Václav Havel was born in 1936 in Prague. His family was well-off and well-known: his grandfather Vácslav (1861-1921) had built Lucerna, while his father (also Václav; 1897-1979) had created Barrandov Terraces. Meanwhile, his maternal grandfather, Hugo Vavrečka (1880-1952), had been a renowned war correspondent, and was also Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 29: Strahovská
Originally published on X on 27 September 2023. In 1143, Vladislav II, the second King of Bohemia, founded a monastery. I don’t want to say huge amounts about that right now, because it’ll leave me with nothing to say tomorrow. Originally known as Sion (i.e. Zion), its name had changed to Strahov within a few Continue reading
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Prague 3, day 158: Jičínská
Originally published on Twitter on 28 September 2022. Jičínská was built in 1910. Jičín is a town of 16,000 people in the Hradec Králové Region. Initially a royal town, Jan Lucemburský sold it to the Vartenberk family in 1337. It really started to expand in 1621, when it was purchased by the military leader Albrecht von Continue reading
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Prague 3, day 125: Seifertova
Originally published on Twitter on 26 August 2022. Seifertova was built in 1875. Until 1940, this was Karlova, after Karel IV; from 1940 to 1945, it was Lutherova, after Martin Luther. After a brief return to its original name, it became Kalininova from 1947 to 1990, after Mikhail Kalinin (1875-1945), an Old Bolshevik revolutionary after Continue reading
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Prague 3, day 104: Prvního Pluku
Originally published on Twitter on 5 August 2022. Prvního Pluku has had this name since 1947. It translates as ‘(the street of) the First Regiment’. In 1877, three pre-existing streets – Anenská, Křížová and Mlýnská – were joined together to form a street called Vinohradská (not that one). This became Pibranser Straße – Příbram Street Continue reading
What's in a Prague street name 