-
Prague 1, day 178: Rytířská
Originally published on X on 21 March 2024. The New Market / Nové tržiště was founded round here in 1232, and, for a time, all the streets covered in the last few days were named after it (see https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/10/08/prague-1-day-175-havelska/ for the start of the story). The street then underwent market-related name changes: in the early… Continue reading
-
Prague 1, day 177: Havelská ulička
Originally published on X on 20 March 2024. For the name, we can go back 48 hours and learn about St Gall and a town-within-a town: https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/10/08/prague-1-day-175-havelska/. Until the 1700s, Havelská ulička was nameless, and was part of the surrounding market. There was also quite a gap between people using the current name and its… Continue reading
-
Prague 1, day 176: V Kotcích
Originally published on X on 19 March 2024. In modern Czech, a ‘kotec’ is a hutch, as in a cage for keeping a rabbit or another small animal. In modern Serbian/Croatian/Bosnian, a ‘katec’ is a pigsty – literally or figuratively – and, in Albanian, ‘katec’ can mean both these things, but also a grain basket.… Continue reading
-
Prague 1, day 175: Havelská
Originally published on X on 18 March 2024. Nothing to do with the Havel you’re probably all thinking of – Svatý Havel is St Gall. According to his biographers, Gall was born in Ireland around 550, and studied at the abbey in Bangor (County Down, Northern Ireland, not Wales), becoming a disciple of St Columban.… Continue reading
-
Prague 1, day 174: Hlavsova
Originally posted on X on 17 March 2024. Jan Hlavsa was born at some point in the 1400s. I have no idea when, but I’m going to estimate that it wasn’t later than 1470, and not earlier than 1440, because we do know that he was a scribe of the land registers from 1497 to… Continue reading
-
Prague 1, day 173: Michalská
Originally published on X on 16 March 2024. In the latter part of the 12th century, a Romanesque church was built round these parts. In the 1360s, the church was given a Gothic makeover (which was not so much a makeover as a virtual replacement of the entire building). The church became known for being… Continue reading
-
Prague 1, day 172: Vejvodova
Originally published on X on 15 March 2024. Jan Václav Vejvoda was born around 1677. I’m not sure about his early life, but, by 1701, he was already working in the Old Town’s municipal administration. After various roles (including a scribe, a supreme warden, a member of the city council, and, erm, ‘director of the… Continue reading
-
Prague 1, day 171: Jilská
Originally published on X on 14 March 2024. ‘Jiljí’ is the Czech version of ‘Aegidius’. This is a name that’s changed more than many others when entering other languages – in English, we know it as ‘Giles’. Saint Giles, meanwhile, was born in Athens and is said to have founded the Abbey of Saint-Gilles in… Continue reading
-
Prague 1, day 170: Jalovcová
Originally published on X on 13 March 2024. A ‘jalovec’ is a juniper. Junipers are quite popular in the Czech Republic as ornamental trees. Number 3 on the street (pictured) is called U Jalovcového stromu (The Juniper Tree). The street then got its name from that; the photo also makes it clear that Jalovcová is… Continue reading
-
Prague 1, day 169: Husova
Originally published on X on 12 March 2024. Jan Hus was born around 1370, most likely in Husinec (https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2022/12/22/prague-3-day-115-husinecka/), and probably studied at the monastery in Prachatice until he was sixteen, when he moved to Prague. He later studied at Charles University, graduating in 1393, although he was much more interested in being a teacher… Continue reading
-
Prague 1, day 167: Liliová
Originally published on X on 10 March 2024. This is one for which we don’t have a definitive explanation, which is odd when you consider that the name has only been used since the late 1700s. ‘Liliová’ is the feminine adjective derived from ‘lilie’, which is, yes, a lily. On the one hand, some sources… Continue reading
-
Prague 1, day 166: Stříbrná
Originally published on X on 9 March 2024. Predictability alert: yesterday, we talked about gold and goldsmiths (https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/10/03/prague-1-day-165-zlata/); today, we’re on silver and silversmiths. An alley rather than a full-on street, Stříbrná was built in order for water to be carried to St Anne’s Convent (https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/10/03/prague-1-day-163-anenske-namesti/) in case of fire. Good luck to anybody trying… Continue reading
-
Prague 1, day 165: Zlatá
Originally published on X on 8 March 2024. This ‘street’ (see later on) didn’t have a name at all until 1905, when it was given the name that Náprstkova (https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/10/01/prague-1-day-159-naprstkova/) had previously had. ‘Zlatá’ means ‘golden’, and, back in the Middle Ages, jewellers and goldsmiths lived and traded round here. (Compare to https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/09/05/prague-1-day-4-zlata-ulicka-u-daliborky/, which many… Continue reading
-
Prague 1, day 163: Anenské náměstí
Originally published on X on 6 March 2024. In this spot, there was once a rotunda devoted to St Lawrence (Vavřinec). In 1230, the Knights Templar bought the land and had the rotunda expanded into a church. Pope Clement V disbanded the Knights Templar in 1312, largely due to the machinations of Philip IV of… Continue reading
-
Prague 1, day 162: Na Zábradlí
Originally published on X on 5 March 2024. A ‘zábradlí’ is a banister, railing, handrail or balustrade. In the context of this street, there was once a church on the corner called Church of St. John the Baptist ‘Na zábradlí’. It was built around 1130. It was most likely part of the wall that was… Continue reading
-
Prague 1, day 161: Betlémská
Originally published on X on 4 March 2024. Originally, the street was called Svatého Ondřeje, after a church dedicated to St Andrew, consecrated in 1165, abolished in 1785, and destroyed in the 19th century (by which time it was used as a carpentry workshop) so the street could be extended: https://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kostel_svat%C3%A9ho_Ond%C5%99eje_%28Praha%29#/media/Soubor:Kostel_sv._Ond%C5%99eje.jpg. Later on, the central… Continue reading
-
Prague 1, day 160: Betlémské náměstí
Originally published on X on 3 March 2024. In the Middle Ages, there was a Romanesque church here devoted to Saints Philip and James – and so the accompanying street became known as U Filipa a Jakuba. Between 1391 and 1394, a chapel – the Bethlehem Chapel / Betlémská kaple was also constructed. The intention… Continue reading
-
Prague 1, day 159: Náprstkova
Originally published on X on 2 March 2024. The road was originally called Zlatá (Golden), and a neighbouring street still is. You can still see evidence of the goldsmiths who lived on the street in the names of number 9 (U zlaté hrušky – The Golden Pear) and number 4 (U zlaté lodi – The… Continue reading
-
Subscribe
Subscribed
Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
What's in a Prague street name 