What's in a Prague street name

Every street in Prague, one by one.

Category: Theologians

  • Originally published on Twitter on 10 August 2022. Jeronýmova was built in 1896. Jeroným Pražský, or Jerome of Prague (1379-1416), studied at Charles University, as well as at Oxford, where he read the teachings of John Wycliffe (https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2022/11/19/prague-3-day-26-viklefova/). He later distributed Wycliffe’s works in Bohemia. In 1409, he was heavily involved in the Decree of…

  • Originally published on Twitter on 29 July 2022. Zvěřinova was built in 2016, making it the newest street yet. Josef Zvěřina (1913-1990) was a priest, art historian, theologian, philosopher and educator. He graduated from the (no longer existing) Archbishops’ Gymnázium in Bubeneč in 1932, and was ordained as a priest in Rome in 1937. After…

  • Originally published on Twitter on 26 July 2022. Basilejské náměstí – Basel Square – was built in 1932. The Swiss city of Basel, as well as being a very nice place to walk around (which the square is currently not – see later on) has a special significance for Czechs. The Council of Basel was…

  • Originally published on Twitter on 10 July 2022. Chelčického was built in 1885. Petr Chelčický (1379-1460-ish) was most likely a pseudonym for Petr Záhorka, born in the Chelčice region (in South Bohemia). He was a writer, translator and theologian, one of the most important figures of the Czech Reformation. He didn’t have a university education,…

  • Originally published on Twitter on 19 May 2022. Viklefova was built in 1930. It’s named after John Wycliffe (1320-1384-ish), an English theologian, and one of the first to translate the Bible into Middle English, though historians say he may not have done much of the translation himself. Wycliffe also wrote that papal claims of temporal…