Žižkov
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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 74: Ke Kapslovně
Originally published on Twitter on 6 July 2022. Ke Kapslovně was built in 1975, but was called U Stadionu (Stadium) until 2008. Louis Sellier and Jean Maria Nicolaus Bellot founded a company, Sellier & Bellot, in Žižkov in 1825, which made cartridges for infantry, as well as matches (up to 60 million per year). The Continue reading
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Prague 3, day 73: Olšanská
Originally published on Twitter on 5 July 2022. Olšanská was built in 1947. Olšany, a village located where the road now is, was built in 1306. It was named after ‘olše’, the alder tree. It’s hard to believe now, but there were several ponds and a stream here. The manors here had various owners, before Continue reading
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Prague 3, day 72: U Nákladového nádraží
Originally published on Twitter on 4 July 2022. U Nákladového nádraží was built in 1935 but not given a name until 1947. Nákladové nádraží Žižkov, or Žižkov freight railway station, is the biggest functionalist industrial building in Prague and a notorious Destroyer of Neighbourhoods (https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2022/11/21/prague-3-day-70-na-viktorce/ and https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2022/11/22/prague-3-day-71-k-cervenemu-dvoru/). It also gets to have *two* tram stops Continue reading
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Prague 3, day 71: K Červenému dvoru
Originally published on Twitter on 3 July 2022. K Červenému dvoru was built in 1925. Červený dvůr (Red Court) is another local settlement that no longer exists. It’s recorded that there were vineyards here as early as the mid-15th century. By the mid-18th century, there was a farming estate called Direktorka. Direktorka was renamed Červený Continue reading
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Prague 3, day 70: Na Viktorce
Originally published on Twitter on 2 July 2022. Na Viktorce was built in 1925. A farming settlement was founded here in 1873. From the end of the nineteenth century onwards, it was owned by one Viktor Kos (1858-1911), hence the name. Kos set up a brickyard here… which now has me playing a game of Continue reading
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Prague 3, day 69: U Staré cihelny
Originally published on Twitter on 1 July 2022. U Staré cihelny was built in 1925. A cihelna is a brickyard, or a brick plant. So this street is ‘at the old brickyard’. This particular brickyard was possibly the one owned by Josef Vacek – see https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2022/11/20/prague-3-day-57-na-vackove/. Indeed, that brickyard is why the surrounding area was Continue reading
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Prague 3, day 68: Ambrožova
Originally published on Twitter on 30 June 2022. Ambrožova was built in 1932. Ambrož of Hradec, or Ambrož Hradecký, was pastor of the Church of the Holy Spirit in Hradec Králové, until he was banished from the town in 1419 for his Hussite beliefs. In 1420, he founded the Orebites, the Hussites’ followers in Eastern Continue reading
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Prague 3, day 67: Jilmová
Originally published on Twitter on 29 June 2022. Jilmová was built in 1933. Did you really think we were done with the trees? This is one case where the Czech and English words are actually quite similar – a jilm is an elm. Elms have been in Czech territory for 12,000 years, i.e. even longer Continue reading
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Prague 3, day 66: Hořanská
Originally published on Twitter on 28 June 2022. Hořanská was built in 1961. Hořany is a village on the River Elbe in the Nymburk region, first mentioned in writing in 1282. It is probably so called because it’s located on a hill (hora). In 1420, the village was registered by Emperor Sigismund; from 1531-47, it Continue reading
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Prague 3, day 65: Biskupcova
Originally published on Twitter on 27 June 2022. Biskupcova was built in 1930. Mikuláš z Pelhřimova, or Nikolaus von Pelgrims, *or* Mikuláš Biskupec (1385-1459 approx.) was born in, yes, Pelhřimov, but started studying in Prague around 1406. Around this time, he became a devoted follower of Jan Hus. In 1415, he was ordained as a Continue reading
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Prague 3, day 64: Olgy Havlové
Originally published on Twitter on 26 June 2022. Olgy Havlové was built in 2012. I normally try to get a photo where you can actually read the street sign, but isn’t this one awesome despite completely failing on that count? Olga Šplíchalová was born in Žižkov (specifically Vackov) in 1933. In the early 1950s, she Continue reading
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Prague 3, day 63: Rixdorfská
Originally published on Twitter on 25 June 2022. Rixdorfská was built in a very recent 2012. Český Rixdorf, or Böhmisch-Rixdorf, was a community founded by Protestant refugees from Bohemia in 1737. It’s located in what is now the Neukölln district of Berlin. Like other Bohemian Protestants, these exiles left the country as they were being Continue reading
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Prague 3, day 62: Plavínová
Originally published on Twitter on 24 June 2022. Plavínová was built in 1998 (making it newest street yet, but only until tomorrow). A plavín štítnatý, or plavín leknínovitý, or Nymphoides peltata, has its fair share of names in English too: fringed water lily, yellow floating heart, floating heart, water fringe or entire marshwort. It’s a perennial that grows in Continue reading
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Prague 3, day 61: Na Mokřině
Originally published on Twitter on 23 June 2022. Na Mokřině was built in 1925. Quite a straightforward one this time: a mokřina is a marsh, fen or bog. Unrelatedly, Mokřina is also the name of a village in Cheb district, called Krottensee until 1948. Continue reading
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Prague 3, day 60: Mezi Domky
Originally published on Twitter on 22 June 2022. Mezi Domky was built in 1925. It translates as ‘Between the houses’. The street is so named because of its location, between houses built as Prague’s population soared in the early 1920s. A domek is smaller than a regular dům. However, many of these houses are no Continue reading
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Prague 3, day 59: Za Vackovem
Originally published on Twitter on 21 June 2022. Za Vackovem was built in 1925. It translates as ‘behind Vackov’. We’ve discussed the Josef Vacek after whom Vackov was named here: https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2022/11/20/prague-3-day-57-na-vackove/. So, as bonus material, here are two renowned Josef Vaceks whom Vackov was *not* named after. First up is Josef Vacek (born in Příbram Continue reading
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Prague 3, day 58: Na Rovnosti
Originally published on Twitter on 20 June 2022. Na Rovnosti was built in 1925. Very literal translation: ‘On Equality’. The street is so called because the terrain around it is rovinatý. Flat, level, plain. You get it. It would be much more awesome if the name were something to do with Volnost, rovnost, bratrství, AKA Continue reading
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Prague 3, day 57: Na Vackově
Originally posted on Twitter on 19 June 2022. Na Vackově was built in 1906. It was called Vackov until 1925, when its name underwent a subtle change. Vackov is another district of Žižkov, located directly west of Jarov (see https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2022/11/19/prague-3-day-30-na-jarove/). Until 1949, Vackov was part of Praha XIII – Staré Strašnice. Vackov is named after Continue reading
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Prague 3, day 56: Na Chmelnici
Originally published on Twitter on 18 June 2022. Na Chmelnici was built in 1925. We’ve already covered what a chmelnice is here: https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2022/11/19/prague-3-day-40-k-chmelnici/. But, whereas K Chmelnici (north side of Koněvova) heads towards the hop garden, Na Chmelnici (south side of Koněvova) is meant to be where it’s at. (It’s not, at least anymore; just Continue reading
What's in a Prague street name 