Russia
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Prague 4, day 125: Doudova
Doudova was built in 1925. Václav Douda was born in Podolí in 1886. He qualified as a teacher, while also training, and acting in a management capacity, at the Podolí Sokol (guide to the Sokols on https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/08/26/prague-2-day-114-sokolska/). In 1913, he was part of the Czech team at the 6th World Artistic Gymnastics Championships, which took Continue reading
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Prague 4, day 91: U gymnázia
U gymnázia was built in the 1930s, and given a name in 1947. A ‘gymnázium’ is a well-known false friend: it’s a grammar school (if you’re British), or a high school (if you’re American). Around the spring of each year, your local friends who have kids may talk about how insanely competitive their entry examinations Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 221: Dvořákovo nábřeží
Originally published on X on 7 May 2024. Antonín Leopold Dvořák was born in Nelahozeves, in Mělník District, in 1841, as the eldest of nine children. He started learning the violin at the age of six, also studying music theory, piano and organ during his schooldays. In 1857, he went to Prague to study at Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 90: Most Legií (Legion Bridge)
Originally published on X on 19 December 2023. Between 1839 and 1841, a chain bridge was built here – at the time, it was the second bridge across the Vltava (after Charles). Pretty incredible 1840 painting (by Karel Würbs) of its construction below. It was called the Emperor Francis I Bridge, after the man you 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 3, day 135: Čajkovského
Originally published on Twitter on 5 September 2022. Čajkovského was built in 1885. Known as Tomkova until 1952, after Václav Vladivoj Tomek (1818-1905), a historian, conservative politician and archivist, best known for his twelve-volume Dějepis města Prahy (History of the City of Prague). Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-93), meanwhile, as composer of Swan Lake, the Nutcracker Continue reading
What's in a Prague street name 