Streams
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Prague 4, day 238: Za mlýnem
Za mlýnem was named in 1938. ‘Za mlýnem’ translates as ‘Behind the mill’, and so we need to talk about Kunratický potok. In Praha-Kunratice (south-east of here, and a separate urban district from the Prague 4 urban district, but part of the Prague 4 municipal district – it’s complicated), a stream (potok) originates. Eleven kilometres Continue reading
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Prague 4, day 5: Na Ostrůvku
Na Ostrůvku was built in 1906. An ‘ostrůvek’ is an island, but a small one – so you might wish to call it an islet (relatedly, a ‘dopravní ostrůvek’ is a traffic island). As you can see from the map above, we’re nowhere near the Vltava. However, we are very close to (as in ‘right Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 48: Pod Bruskou
Originally published on X on 24 October 2023. In the Middle Ages, there was a path here, known as ‘Myší díra’ (Mouse hole) due to its winding nature. In the 1600s, a certain Albrecht z Valdštejna (https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/09/08/prague-1-day-46-valdstejnske-namesti/) had the path converted into a proper road, capable of being used by heavy goods vehicles. The name Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 12: U Brusnice
Originally published on X on 3 September 2023. U Brusnice was built in 1910. Brusnice is a stream which has three sources, all in the vicinity of Břevnov Monastery. The most important one, Vojtěška, is named after St Vojtěch (or Adalbert of Prague), the country’s patron saint. Legend has it that this was the spot Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 115: Botičská
Originally published on X on 5 March 2023. Botičská was built (as a path) around the 16th century. For a time in the 19th century, until 1850, this was called Špitálská, after St. Bartholomew’s Hospital and Almshouse (Špitál a chudobinec svatého Bartoloměje), which was closed in 1884. The building that’s on this spot now is Continue reading
What's in a Prague street name 