Praha 2
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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 145: Palackého náměstí
Originally published on X on 4 April 2023. Palackého náměstí was created in 1896 as a result of renovation of the nearby embankment. From 1942 to 1945, this was Rudolfovo náměstí, after Rudolph II (1552-1612), the Habsburg who certainly made Prague a more fascinating cultural centre than ever, but whose actions also indirectly led to 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
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Prague 2, day 142: Dřevná
Originally published on X on 1 April 2023. Dřevná was built in 1920. Dřevná is the adjective deriving from dřevo, wood, and that noise you can hear right now is me realising I’ve already unwittingly written about this one, because the people of the district used to make a living by trading in wood: https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/08/26/prague-2-day-121-na-vytoni/ Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 141: Na Poříčním právu
Originally published on X on 31 March 2023. Na Poříčním právu was built in 1925. A řeka is a river. This leads to the adjective říční, as in říční koryto (riverbed), říční síť (river system) and říční přístav (river port). Put a prefix onto říční, and you get poříční, another adjective which also means ‘river’ Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 140: Pod Slovany
Originally published on X on 30 March 2023. Pod Slovany already existed by the 18th century; it was probably built much earlier than that. Until the 18th century, the street was called Ozerov, named after V Ozerově, a local garden, whose name, in turn, is probably related to ostrov (island). Until 1850, the road was Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 139: Na Hrádku
Originally published on X on 29 March 2023. Na Hrádku was built in 1890. One of the important Czech noble families of the era was known as the Páni z Valdeka, the Lords of Valdek; the first one of them to be mentioned in writing is Oldřich Zajíc, who died in 1271. As of the Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 138: U Nemocnice
Originally published on X on 28 March 2023. U Nemocnice was built before 1750. Until 1750, this was Dobytčí. That’s the adjective coming from dobytek – livestock – and recalls the market that used to exist here. Then it was named Ústavní (‘institutional’), after a local institute for noblemen. This lasted until 1800, when the Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 137: Salmovská
Originally published on X on 27 March 2023. Salmovská was built in the 15th century or earlier. Until the 15th century, the street was called Krupná, after which it changed slightly to Krupičná. There used to be a market here, and the names are presumably linked to what was on sale – krupice is semolina, Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 136: Pod Větrovem
Originally published on X on 26 March 2023. Pod Větrovem was built in 1894. We’ve touched on this one briefly before: Větrník, Větrná hora or Větrov is the (windy) hill which the Church of St. Apollinaire was built on https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/08/25/prague-2-day-113-apolinarska/. In a mildly desperate bid to pump this thread up a bit, let’s look at Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 135: Lípová
Originally published on X on 25 March 2023. Lípová was built in the 14th century. Until the 17th century or so, this was Svaté Kateřiny (St Catherine’s), after the convent-then-monastery: https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/08/28/prague-2-day-128-katerinska/ It then became Lípová or U Lip until about 1800, before turning into Zadní Lipová until 1880, at which point the name ‘Lípová’ stuck. A Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 134: Ječná
Originally published on X on 24 March 2023. Ječná was built a long time ago. In 1348, Karel IV founded Prague’s New Town. There was a barley market (barley = ječmen) in this location, whereas, just to the north, there was a rye market (https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/02/27/prague-2-day-36-zitna/). However, the (former) market sold pork as well as barley, Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 133: Náměstí I. P. Pavlova
Originally published on X on 23 March 2023. Náměstí I. P. Pavlova was built in 1897; nowadays, it’s home to Prague’s busiest metro station. Until 1925, this was Komenského náměstí, and was presumably changed because there already was one in Žižkov: https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2022/11/26/prague-3-day-82-komenskeho-namesti/ It then became náměstí Petra Osvoboditele. Petr Osvoboditel is King Peter the Liberator, Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 132: Tyršova
Originally published on X on 22 March 2023, when I also forgot to take/add a photo of the street sign. Maybe I’ll go out and take one now. Tyršova was built in 1893. Fridericus Emanuel Tirsch was born into a German-speaking in Děčín in 1832. By the age of six, he had lost both parents Continue reading
What's in a Prague street name 