WW1
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Prague 4, day 132: Procházkova
Procházkova was built in 1933. The street is believed to be named after a soldier called Josef Procházka, killed during World War One. However, at least ten men with that name died during battle, and so it’s not possible to get more specific. This means it was not named after the composer and pianist Josef Continue reading
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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 95: U Jedličkova ústavu
U Jedličkova ústavu was built in the 1930s, but not named until 1957. Rudolf Jedlička was born in Lysá nad Labem in 1869; his father had previously served as a doctor in present-day Slovenia, and his mother was the daughter of a mayor of Vyšehrad. He studied medicine in Prague, graduating in 1895, which was Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 257: Nábřeží Ludvíka Svobody
Originally published on X on 15 June 2024. ‘Nábřeží’ = ‘Embankment’. Ludvík Svoboda was born in Hroznatín, a village in Vysocina Region, in 1895. His father died a year later (apparently after being kicked by a horse), and his mother remarried in 1898. He attended the Agricultural School in Velké Meziříčí, and was then called Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 254: Štefánikův most
Originally published on X on 12 June 2024. Milan Rastislav Štefánik was born in Košariská, a village nowadays in the Trenčín Region of Slovakia, in 1880. He was the son of an evangelical priest, Pavol Štefánik, who raised his children to be interested in Slovak history and culture. Leaving his village at nine, he went Continue reading
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Prague 1, day 223: Náměstí Curieových
Originally published on X on 9 May 2024. Pierre Curie was born in Paris in 1859. He was educated at home by his parents (his father was a doctor), and took his baccalaureate in science when he was 16. Two years later – when he was just 18 – he would already have a degree 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 1, day 87: Vítězná
Originally published on X on 4 December 2023. Anyone who hoped, after yesterday’s thread, that we’d be avoiding the big topics today may wish to stop reading now – a vítěz / vítězka is a winner, and a vítězství is a victory. And we’re talking 1918 here, so let’s do a quick rundown (which doesn’t Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 156: Masarykovo nábřeží
Originally published on X on 15 April 2023. Masarykovo nábřeží (Masaryk Embankment) has existed in its current form since 1903. From 1903 to 1912, this was Františkovo nábřeží, after Francis II, who ruled Austria, Hungary, Croatia and Bohemia from 1792 to 1835. Then, from 1912 to 1940 (and again from 1945 to 1946), it was Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 143: Náměstí Pod Emauzy
Originally published on X on 2 April 2023. Náměstí Pod Emauzy was built in 1925. In 1347, a year after the founding of Prague’s Old Town, Karel IV received permission from the Pope to found a Benedictine monastery in Podskalí. In the 1370s, the monastery was supplemented by a church: https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/08/31/prague-2-day-140-pod-slovany/ Karel wanted the monastery Continue reading
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Prague 2, day 46: Jana Masaryka
Originally published on Twitter on 22 December 2022. Jana Masaryka was built in 1875. Until 1884, this was Wimmerova, after Jakub Wimmer (1754-1822), entrepreneur, landowner, benefactor and colonel. Then it was renamed Čelakovského after František Ladislav Čelakovský (https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/02/18/prague-2-day-35-celakovskeho-sady/). In 1926, the street was renamed Polská. Which means that I have to retract this tweet from Continue reading
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Prague 3, day 75: Pitterova
Originally published on Twitter on 7 July 2022. Pitterova was part of Chelčického (coming up in a few days) from 1885 until 1996, when it was given a name of its own. Přemysl Pitter was born in Smíchov in 1895. He studied typography in Leipzig in 1911-2, and, after his father’s death a year later, Continue reading
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Prague 3, day 53: Schöfflerova
Originally published on Twitter on 15 June 2022. Schöfflerova was built in 1925. Josef Schöffler, also Schäffler, was a typographer and co-founder of the Cooperative for the Construction of Workers’ Flats and Family Houses in Žižkov (Družstvo pro stavbu dělnických bytů a rodiných domků na Žižkově). Sources say that Schöffler died in World War I, Continue reading
What's in a Prague street name 