Prisons
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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 4, day 57: Soudní
Soudní was built in 1931. ‘Soudní’ would typically be translated as ‘judicial’, from ‘soud’ (‘court’, but also ‘trial’). In 1850, the High Provincial Court in Prague (Vrchní zemský soud v Praze) was established, replacing the General Court of Appeal. It was responsible for dealing with appeals in Bohemia (not Moravia), as well as checking up Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 230: Vězeňská
Originally published on X on 16 May 2024. A ‘vězení’ or a ‘věznice’ is a prison, and apparently there was once one here. The name can be traced back to the 18th century, but the prison… sorry, I’m drawing a blank. Across the country, there are ‘vazební věznice’ (remand prisons, i.e. prisons in which people Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 127: Politických vězňů (Political prisoners)
Originally published on X on 29 January 2024. When the New Town was founded, this street was named Angelova, after Angelo of Florence (died 1408), court apothecary under Charles IV and his son, Wenceslas IV. In 1757, it was renamed Bredovská after the noble Bredow family (Josef Breda was the governor of Prague’s Old Town, Continue reading
What's in a Prague street name 