Saints
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Prague 4, day 84: Na Pankráci
Na Pankráci was built in 1900. Even as an ex-Londoner who used to travel to Brussels an awful lot, it somehow took me until 2024 to put two and two together and work out that Pankrác is St Pancras. Pancras of Rome converted to Christianity, and was beheaded for this around 303, aged just fourteen. Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 261: Klimentská
Originally published on X on 19 June 2024. Clement of Rome, or Clement I, was the fourth Pope, serving from 88 to 99 AD. Persecuted by the Emperor Trajan, he was tied to an anchor and dragged out to sea. This is how he is portrayed at St Sofia’s Cathedral in Kyiv. A pre-Romanesque church Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 253: Za Haštalem
Originally published on X on 11 June 2024. This guy again (this street is ‘behind’ the church): https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/11/05/prague-1-day-245-hastalske-namesti/. Wherever Castulus is watching this from right now, I hope it makes him happy knowing that, although he’s only got Wikipedia pages in 14 languages (cf. 123 for St Peter), he has *four* streets named after him Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 252: K Haštalu
Originally published on X on 10 June 2024. A quick one today: K Haštalu leads to the Church of Svatý Haštal, or Castulus, which I covered here: https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/11/05/prague-1-day-245-hastalske-namesti/. Some of Castulus’ relics are in the church; if you want to see more, you may wish to head to St Martin’s Church (officially named after ‘St. Martin Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 245: Haštalské náměstí
Originally published on X on 3 June 2024. Svatý Haštal is Saint Castulus, chamberlain to Emperor Diocletian. He sheltered Christians in his home, converted many people to Christianity, and also arranged for people to be baptised by Pope Caius. He was thanked for this by being being buried alive in a sandpit in 286. His Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 208: Valentinská
Originally published on X on 24 April 2024. I think we can skip the part in which I explain what St Valentine is the saint of, and the date on which we celebrate him. But here’s some music. Anyway, from about 1253, St Valentine’s Church stood here, where, rather than the current-day street, there was Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 205: Mikulášská
Originally posted on X on 21 April 2024. And once again, I remind myself that ‘Mikuláš’ is Czech for ‘Nicholas’. Saint Nicholas (of Bari) died in 343, and was known for secret gift-giving, hence Dutch folklore coming up with Sinterklaas, who is one of the sources for Santa Claus. Saint Nicholas is also the patron Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 185: Jakubská
Originally published on X on 28 March 2024. Wenceslas/Václav I – the ‘One-Eyed’ – became King of Bohemia in 1230. The one eye thing was the result of a childhood hunting trip gone wrong. Which isn’t directly relevant to the story, but somebody was going to ask if I didn’t mention it. Anyway, events in Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 175: Havelská
Originally published on X on 18 March 2024. Nothing to do with the Havel you’re probably all thinking of – Svatý Havel is St Gall. According to his biographers, Gall was born in Ireland around 550, and studied at the abbey in Bangor (County Down, Northern Ireland, not Wales), becoming a disciple of St Columban. Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 171: Jilská
Originally published on X on 14 March 2024. ‘Jiljí’ is the Czech version of ‘Aegidius’. This is a name that’s changed more than many others when entering other languages – in English, we know it as ‘Giles’. Saint Giles, meanwhile, was born in Athens and is said to have founded the Abbey of Saint-Gilles in Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 146: Martinská
Originally published on X on 17 February 2024. Way back in the 1100s, there was a settlement here called Újezd, meaning the same as but not to be confused with https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/09/11/prague-1-day-81-ujezd/. Between 1178 and 1187, the Church of St Martin was built, and, after that, the name of the settlement was updated to Újezd u Svatého Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 134: Hybernská
Originally published on X on 5 February 2024. In the pre-New Town was founded, this street was called Horská, because it led to Kutná Hora. It then became known as Na Dlážděném from 1348, and if I explain that now, I’ll ruin tomorrow’s post. In 1355, a church was built, and dedicated to St Ambrose, Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 131: Jindřišská
Originally published on X on 2 February 2024. ‘Jindřich’ is Henry, and the two don’t seem so different once you realise that one of the German versions of ‘Henry’ is ‘Heinrich’. And one famous German Henry was Henry II (973-1024), Holy Roman Emperor, also known as Saint Henry the Exuberant. He essentially incorporated Bohemia into Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 123: Václavské náměstí
Originally published on X on 24 and 25 January 2024 (it’s a two-partner). Václav (Wenceslas, as in ‘Good King’) was born around 907, the son of Vratislav (Wrocław-founding) and Drahomíra (pagan; murderous), and the granddaughter of Ludmila (Christian; victim of said murderousness; later saintly) and Bořivoj (the first verifiable Czech leader). He became Prince of Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 92: Vojtěšská
Originally published on X on 21 December 2023. Vojtěch was born around 956 in Libice nad Cidlinou, near Nymburk, into the powerful Slavník dynasty (the other powerful family of the time being the Přemyslids). Studying in Magdeburg for about ten years, he took the name ‘Adalbert’ upon his confirmation and was ordained as the second Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 76: Prokopská
Originally published on X on 23 November 2023. Prokop was born around the year 1000 in Chotouň, near Kouřim (https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2023/03/08/prague-3-day-170-kourimska/) in Kolín District. He worked as a priest, but then left the profession and became a hermit. Despite his reclusive life, he became known to Oldřich, Prince of Bohemia (https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/08/20/prague-2-day-80-oldrichova/). How do we know this? Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 68: Karlův most (Charles Bridge)
Originally published on X on 13 and 14 November 2023 (there was quite a lot to get through, as you’ll see). No street sign, but I could hardly get away with not writing a post about this one. In 1172, Prague got its first stone bridge, built by King Vladislav II and named Juditin Most Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 61: Josefská
Originally published on X on 6 November 2023. You’ll know who St Joseph was. The kid in his arms ended up being a pretty big deal too. In 1655, the Discalced Carmelites, as founded by St Theresa of Avila, were called to Prague by Ferdinand III (a quick lesson about the Carmelites is here: https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/09/08/prague-1-day-39-karmelitska/). Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 44: Tomášská
Originally published on X on 20 October 2023. The earliest mention of a church round here dates from 1228. In 1285, King Václav II invited a group of Augustine monks to Prague and decided they needed a new, better church in the same location. It was devoted to Thomas the Apostle (https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/09/07/prague-1-day-8-na-baste-sv-tomase/). The altar was Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 23: Radnické schody
Originally published on X on 21 September 2023. You may remember me mentioning the former town hall in Loretánská yesterday, largely because it’s awesome: https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/09/08/prague-1-day-22-loretanska/ In Czech, a town hall is called a radnice, because a council (rada) would meet there (see also: the German Rathaus). The adjective from radnice is radnický, and schody are Continue reading
What's in a Prague street name 