Praha 2
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Prague 2, day 29: Slovenská
Originally published on Twitter on 5 December 2022. Slovenská was built around 1900. As with Moravia, I don’t want to do a ‘this is the history of […] in 15-20 tweets’ thing. So this seems like a good opportunity to remember that the Velvet Revolution happened in Slovakia too. The Slovaks prefer to call it Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 28: Lužická
Originally published on Twitter on 4 December 2022. Lužická was built around 1900. From 1940 to 1945, this was Rankova, after Leopold von Ranke (1795-1886), a historian and proponent of modern, source-based history. But Lužice / Lusatia / Lausitz / Łużyce is a historical territory, nowadays split between Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic. Slavic Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 27: Moravská
Originally published on Twitter on 3 December 2022. I know I’m falling behind with reposting these on here, partly because I’m writing a new one every day on that place while it still exists. Moravská was built in 1889. You know where Moravia is. I know where Moravia is. I also don’t want to turn this Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 26: Šumavská
First published on Twitter on 2 December 2022. Šumavská was built in 1889. Šumava is a mountain range covering the borderlands of the Czech Republic, Germany (Bavaria) and Austria. Many German speakers refer to it as the Böhmerwald – (the Bohemian Forest), although Bavarians, clearly wanting to take full credit, like to call it the Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 25: Chodská
Originally published on Twitter on 1 December 2022. Chodská was built in 1889. From 1940 to 1945, this was Grimmova, after Jakob Grimm (1783-1863), co-author of the Deutsches Wörterbuch, co-editor of Grimms’ Fairy Tales, writer of Deutsche Mythologie and the elder of the Brothers Grimm. Chodsko is a historical area in the Domažlice region, named Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 24: Sady Bratří Čapků
Originally published on Twitter on 30 November 2022. Sady Bratří Čapků was created (sort of) in 2016. This was part of a larger park, opened in 1903, and, originally called Městský sad (City Garden) until 1928. In 1928, it became Bezručovy sady, after Petr Bezruč, the pseudonym of Vladimír Vašek (1867-1958), a poet most known Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 23: Kladská
Originally published on Twitter on 29 November 2022. Kladská was built in 1896. Kladsko in Czech is Kłodzko in Polish – a town of just under 27,000 people in Lower Silesia. First mentioned in 981, its name derives from the Czech word kláda (log), as its first bridges, houses and fortifications were made of wood. Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 22: U Kanálky
Originally published on Twitter on 28 November 2022. U Kanálky was built in 1905. It was called Kanálská until 1961. Kanálka is a garden that used to exist here, between Polská and Vinohradská, built by the Czech gardener Václav Teisinger. Czech philanthrope and botanist Josef Emanuel Canal ordered its construction in the 1780s, after purchasing various Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 21: Čerchovská
Originally published on Twitter on 27 November 2022. Čerchovská was built in 1896. Čerchov, 1,042 metres high, is the highest mountain in Český les (somewhat different English name: Upper Palatine Forest), as well as the 10th-highest in the country. It’s only two kilometres from the German border. In German, it’s called Schwarzkopf, and yes, I Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 20: Krkonošská
Originally published on Twitter on 26 November 2022. Krkonošská was built in 1908. The Krkonoše – Riesengebirge in German, and Giant Mountains in English – are located in north-eastern Bohemia and in Polish Silesia. They’re the tallest mountain range in the Czech Republic. They also form part of the Sudetes, a ‘geomorphological subprovince’ shared by Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 19: Na Švihance
Originally published on Twitter on 25 November 2022. Na Švihance was built in 1908. I’m not managing to work out what švihanka translates as, though. Švihat is to whip or flick (which leads to průšvih – trouble), and for the sake of people, horses and cream, I hope this isn’t the origin. (OK, I may Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 18: Chopinova
Originally published on Twitter on 24 November 2022. Chopinova, built in 1910, was called ‘U Riegrových sadů’ (which it is) until 1965. In 1965, the Polish Fryderyk Chopin Society asked for a street to be named after their idol; in exchange, the Warsaw district of Mokotów got itself an ‘ulica Bedrzycha Smetany’. Fryderyk Franciszek Chopin Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 17: Třebízského
Originally published on Twitter on 23 November 2022. Třebízského was built around 1903. From 1940 to 1945, this was Krušnohorksá, after Krušné hory / the Erzgebirge / the Ore Mountains, which separate Bohemia and Saxony. Václav Beneš was born in Třebíz, near Slaný, in 1849. The school he went to there was attended at the Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 16: Budečská
Originally published on Twitter on 22 November 2022. Budečská was built in 1889. From 1940 to 1945, this was Humboldtova, after Wilhelm von Humboldt (1767-1835), Prussian philosopher, linguist, diplomat and founder of the Humboldt University of Berlin. Budeč, the remains of a castle, is a national cultural monument located 17 km north-west of Prague in Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 14: Polská
Originally published on Twitter on 20 November 2022. Polská was built in 1900. Until 1940, it was Nerudova, after Jan Neruda, journalist, writer, poet, art critic and figurehead of Czech Realism. More on him when I get to Prague 1. Then, from 1940-5, it was Stifterova, after Adalbert Stifter (1805-68), an Austrian writer known for Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 13: Anny Letenské
Originally published on Twitter on 19 November 2022. Anny Letenské was built in 1896. Until 1945, this was Ve Pštroce. Pštroska, also spelt Pštrosska, was an estate, including a vineyard called Křížovka, that was located round here. It was purchased by Jan and Babetta Pštross in 1815, and demolished in the late 19th century, partly Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 12: Balbínova
Originally published on Twitter on 18 November 2022. Balbínova was built in 1880. It was formerly two streets; they were united in 1947. The southern half has been called Balbínova since its inception. Until 1940, and again from 1945 to 1947, the northern part was called Sladkovského. Old Karel still has a square not so far Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 11: Mánesova
Originally published on Twitter on 17 November 2022. Mánesova was built in 1889. From 1934 to 1940, and again from 1945-7, the road was Barthouva, after Louis Barthou, who had served as PM of France in 1913, and became Minister of Foreign Affairs in February 1934, only to be shot and killed while meeting Alexander Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 10: U Divadla
Originally published on Twitter on 16 November 2022. ‘U Divadla’ translates as ‘By the Theatre’ and was built in 1988. The ‘theatre’ in question is, nowadays, the State Opera, which took the place of the Novoměstské divadlo / New Town Theatre (see https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2023/12/24/prague-2-day-7-na-smetance/). Ever been to this place on a date, wearing a polo neck Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 9: Wilsonova
Originally posted on Twitter on 15 November 2022. Wilsonova was built in stages from about 1870 onwards. I couldn’t find a street sign to confirm that part of Wilsonova is in Prague 2, and would’ve caused a traffic accident if I’d kept trying. So here’s a sign from a car park instead. And on top Continue reading
What's in a Prague street name 