Vinohrady
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Prague 2, day 14: Polská
Originally published on Twitter on 20 November 2022. Polská was built in 1900. Until 1940, it was Nerudova, after Jan Neruda, journalist, writer, poet, art critic and figurehead of Czech Realism. More on him when I get to Prague 1. Then, from 1940-5, it was Stifterova, after Adalbert Stifter (1805-68), an Austrian writer known for Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 13: Anny Letenské
Originally published on Twitter on 19 November 2022. Anny Letenské was built in 1896. Until 1945, this was Ve Pštroce. Pštroska, also spelt Pštrosska, was an estate, including a vineyard called Křížovka, that was located round here. It was purchased by Jan and Babetta Pštross in 1815, and demolished in the late 19th century, partly Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 12: Balbínova
Originally published on Twitter on 18 November 2022. Balbínova was built in 1880. It was formerly two streets; they were united in 1947. The southern half has been called Balbínova since its inception. Until 1940, and again from 1945 to 1947, the northern part was called Sladkovského. Old Karel still has a square not so far Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 11: Mánesova
Originally published on Twitter on 17 November 2022. Mánesova was built in 1889. From 1934 to 1940, and again from 1945-7, the road was Barthouva, after Louis Barthou, who had served as PM of France in 1913, and became Minister of Foreign Affairs in February 1934, only to be shot and killed while meeting Alexander Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 10: U Divadla
Originally published on Twitter on 16 November 2022. ‘U Divadla’ translates as ‘By the Theatre’ and was built in 1988. The ‘theatre’ in question is, nowadays, the State Opera, which took the place of the Novoměstské divadlo / New Town Theatre (see https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2023/12/24/prague-2-day-7-na-smetance/). Ever been to this place on a date, wearing a polo neck Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 9: Wilsonova
Originally posted on Twitter on 15 November 2022. Wilsonova was built in stages from about 1870 onwards. I couldn’t find a street sign to confirm that part of Wilsonova is in Prague 2, and would’ve caused a traffic accident if I’d kept trying. So here’s a sign from a car park instead. And on top Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 7: Na Smetance
Originally published on Twitter on 13 November 2022. Na Smetance was built in 1889. Smetanka (translation: ‘Dandelion’) is a homestead and vineyard that used to lie in this spot. It’s old enough for it to be unclear when it was built. What we do know is that it housed a pub, and, from 1859, was Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 6: Helénská
Originally published on Twitter on 12 November 2022. Helénská was built in 1910. Until 1937, this was Doudlebská, after Doudleby, a village in České Budějovice District that was the centre of its region until České Budějovice was founded in 1265. The Helénové, meanwhile, are the Hellenes – the inhabitants of Ancient Greece. ‘Greece’ itself, as Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 5: Lichnická
Originally published on Twitter on 11 November 2022. Lichnická was built in 1911. It seems we’re not done with the castle ruins just yet – Lichnice is another set, this time located in the Iron Mountains (Železné hory), 15 kilometres south of Chrudim (https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2023/06/24/prague-3-day-177-chrudimska/). It was founded by Smil ze Žitavy, a Czech nobleman, in Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 3: Kunětická
Originally published on Twitter on 9 November 2022. Kunětická was built in 1911. Kunětická hora is the name of both a hill near Pardubice and the ruins of a castle standing on it. Traces of fortifications indicate that the hill was already inhabited in prehistoric times. Václav Hájek of Libočany’s Chronicle (https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2022/11/19/prague-3-day-15-hajkova/) – admittedly not Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 2: Dudova
Originally published on Twitter on 8 November 2022. Dudova was built in 2019. Josef Duda was born into a military family in Pohořelec in Hradčany in 1905. In 1923, he joined the Czechoslovak army, graduating from the Military Academy in Hranice in 1925. He then studied at the Military Aviation Academy in Cheb, and at Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 1: Italská
Originally published on Twitter on 7 November 2022. Italská was created (though not built) in 1926. Italská was formed by joining parts of two other streets – Žižkova (built in 1889 – see multiple Prague 3 posts if you want to learn about Jan Žižka), and Divišova, built in 1884. Prokop Diviš (1698-1765) was a Continue reading
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Prague 3, day 192: Orlická
Originally published on Twitter on 1 November 2022. Orlická was built in 1911. The Orlické (‘Eagle’) Mountains are in north-east Bohemia; they’re named after the river Orlice, a tributary of the Elbe. Part of one of the Orlice’s own tributaries, Divoká Orlice (Wild Eagle), forms the Czech-Polish border. The three highest peaks in the range Continue reading
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Prague 3, day 191: Velehradská
Originally published on Twitter on 31 October 2022. Velehradská was built around 1860. Until 1896, the street was called U židovského hřbitova (At the Jewish Cemetery), as, until 1890, what is now Mahlerovy sady (which includes the Žižkov Television Tower) hosted the cemetery until it was moved (https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2022/11/28/prague-3-day-99-izraelska/) due to overcrowding. Velehrad, meanwhile, is a Continue reading
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Prague 3, day 190: Milešovská
Originally published on Twitter on 30 October 2022. Milešovská was built in 1896. Milešovka, 837 metres high, is the highest peak in the České Středohoří, the Central Bohemian Uplands, in northern Bohemia. Bronze objects and ceramics from the Bronze Age have been found near the mountain; they suggest there was a mountain cult of sorts. Continue reading
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Prague 3, day 188: Laubova
Originally published on Twitter on 28 October 2022. Laubova was built in 1896. Nikki Lauba (1949-2019) was a Formula One driver from the old Austro-Hungarian Empire. No, sorry, wait. Until 1952, the street was called Vilímovská, possibly after a vineyard. There’s a street with the same name in Dejvice. Ferdinand Laub was born in 1832 Continue reading
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Prague 3, day 187: Korunní
Originally published on Twitter on 27 October 2022. Korunní was built in 1889. From 1956 to 1990, this was Wilhelma Piecka, after Wilhelm Pieck, first president of the GDR from 1949 until his death in 1960 (i.e. this is a rare case of somebody getting a street named after them during their lifetime). The rest Continue reading
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Prague 3, day 186: U Vodárny
Originally published on Twitter on 26 October 2022. U Vodárny was built in 1885. It was known as Gebauerova from 1940 to 1945, after Jan Gebauer (1838-1907), one of the most important Czech linguists. He famously exposed the Manuscripts of Dvůr Králové and Zelená Hora (which I really hope I get to write about one Continue reading
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Prague 3, day 185: Nitranská
Originally published on Twitter on 25 October 2022. Nitranská was built in 1889. Nitra, located 95 km east of Bratislava, is the fifth-largest city in Slovakia, with a population of 79,000. It’s also the oldest Slovak city, first mentioned in 828, but archeological items found there have been dated back more than 25,000 years. A Continue reading
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Prague 3, day 184: Řipská
Originally published on Twitter on 24 October 2022. Řipská was built in 1889. Říp is a hill, 461 metres high, located just south of Roudnice nad Labem, in the Ústí Region. According to legend, Forefather Čech (Praotec Čech) arrived here with his people and climbed the hill. He then told his brothers that this was Continue reading
What's in a Prague street name 