What's in a Prague street name

Every street in Prague, one by one.

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I could talk about myself for ages, or I could point out that https://english.radio.cz/ed-ley-englishman-recording-stories-pragues-streets-one-one-8806941 is over two years old but still largely stands (other than the Twitter links).

  • Prague 3, day 51: Malešická

    Originally published on Twitter on 13 June 2022.

    Malešícká was built in 1931.

    The road leads to Malešice, a district which is located (mainly) in Prague 9 and (partially) in Prague 10.

    In the 1980s, archeologists discovered pieces of chipped stone from the late Paleolithic period in Malešice, making it the first safely proven Paleolithic settlement in Central Bohemia.

    The village of Malešice was first mentioned in 1309; its name probably derives from a feudal lord called Mališ, who owned the settlement.

    As late as 1843, the village had a population of 316 people, living in 39 buildings.

    In 1922, when Prague really started to expand, Malešice (population at the time: 1,400) became part of Prague XI, along with Žižkov and Hrdlořezy.

    Though Prague XI is no more, you can still see many older street signs referring to it round where I live.

    Malešice maintained its village character until the 1950s, when it inevitable gained a lot of paneláky. But it’s still a tram-free zone.

    I don’t wind up here very often, but Malešický Park is nice, and, as I learned last summer, a health centre in the district is also where you should go if you want the kind of PCR test that goes a bit too far and brings tears to your eyes.

    It also has its fair share of statues: go to https://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seznam_um%C4%9Bleck%C3%BDch_realizac%C3%AD_ve_ve%C5%99ejn%C3%A9m_prostoru_v_Male%C5%A1ic%C3%ADch… for a peek.

  • Prague 3, day 50: Habrová

    Originally published on Twitter on 12 June 2022.

    Habrová was built in 1976.

    Continuing the tree theme, a habr is a hornbeam (Carpinus), a hardwood tree which is mainly used for ornamental purposes.

    There are many species of the hornbeam, but the only one that exists in the Czech Republic is the ‘Carpinus betulus’, the European or common hornbeam.

    And the tree has also given its name to a small settlement in the North Plzeň region: https://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habrov%C3%A1…Small means small: it had 18 inhabitants in 2011.

  • Prague 3, day 49: Buková

    Originally published on Twitter on 11 June 2022.

    Buková was built in 1962.

    We’re still on the trees, and a buk is a beech (Fagus).

    In Central Europe, the beech is the main feature of deciduous forests.

    In the Czech Republic, the tree has also given its name to a village of 303 people in Prostějov District: https://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bukov%C3%A1_(okres_Prost%C4%9Bjov).

  • Prague 3, day 48: Pod Lipami

    Originally published on 10 June 2022.

    Pod Lipami was built in 1925.

    Continuing yesterday’s tree theme (https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2022/11/20/prague-3-day-47-osikova/), ‘Pod lipami’ translates as ‘under the linden trees’.

    Which makes this Prague’s answer to Berlin’s famous ‘Unter den Linden’ (except it doesn’t).

    If we’re talking about lindens in different languages, the Romanian for ‘linden’ is tei, and ‘love under the linden tree’ in Romanian is dragostea din tei.

    Ma-i-a hi.

    Ma-i-a hu.

    Ma-i-a ho.

    Ma-i-a ha-ha.

    And sorry for ruining your Friday.

  • Prague 3, day 47: Osiková

    Originally published on Twitter on 9 June 2022.

    Special ‘unintentional advertising for Kaufland’ edition: Osiková, a relative newbie built in 1976.

    An osika is an aspen tree, or ‘Populus tremula’. It’s a tree from the willow family.

    Other Czech names for the tree are topol osika (aspen poplar) or osika obecná (common aspen).

    I’m no tree expert, but apparently these ones grow well in poor soil, are important for beekeeping, and can be used to make food packaging or sauna cabins. So there.

    Also, as their leaves vibrate in the wind, we have the expression třese se jako osika (shake like an aspen): https://www.zoopraha.cz/flora/listnate-dreviny/10658-topol-osika-zvany-osika.

  • Prague 3, day 46: Nad Ohradou

    Originally published on Twitter on 8 June 2022.

    Nad Ohradou was built in 1975.

    You can find out about Ohrada, a vineyard that was first mentioned in 1455, and which this street is ‘above’, here: https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2022/11/19/prague-3-day-11-na-ohrade/.

    Except that there’s actually new stuff to say about Ohrada in the month since I originally tweeted about it.

    Firstly, the park here was the scene of a commemorative ceremony on 6 June 2022, as it was where paratroopers Kubiš and Gabčík hid both before and after they assassinated Reinhard Heydrich.

    Of course, Kubiš and Gabčík had strong local support, too: https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2022/11/19/prague-3-day-22-zelenky-hajskeho/.

    The ceremony was attended by, among others, Zuzana Čaputová (photo taken from https://prazsky.denik.cz/zpravy_region/heydrich-atentat-vyroci-praha-oslavy.html…)

    Last time I checked, the posters and displays were still up, and are worth a look.

    Secondly, watch out, JzP: there are plans to renovate the park and give it a farmers’ market: https://www.blesk.cz/clanek/regiony-praha-praha-zpravy/714017/na-zizkovske-ohrade-by-mohly-fungovat-farmarske-trhy-starosta-si-preje-i-pamatnik-operace-anthropoid.html.

  • Prague 3, day 45: Kunešova

    Kunešova was built in 1977, making it the newest street to date. And we’re back on the Hussites!

    Kuneš z Bělovic (born in the 14th century) was a comrade of Jan Žižka.

    The first written mention of him is from 1422, when he tried to overthrow Sigismund Korybut (Zikmund Korybutovič), who was acknowledged as governor of Prague and Bohemia in the same year.

    After Žižka’s death in 1424, Kuneš became commander of his army. In 1426, he led one of the victorious Hussite armies in the Battle of Ústí nad Labem.

    After that, he tried to besiege Poděbrady, but the siege failed after thirteen weeks.

    Whatever Kuneš did after this, it wasn’t written down, meaning that, even though he was one of Žižka’s closest friends, we don’t even know when he died.

  • Prague 3, day 44: V Bezpečí

    Originally published on Twitter on 6 June 2022.

    V Bezpečí was built in 1938, and translates as ‘in safety’.

    Two options come to mind. Firstly, I’ve mentioned more than once that it’s really lovely and quiet round here.

    On the other hand, the street is close to Strážní (https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2022/11/19/prague-3-day-7-strazni/), and stráž means ‘guard’.

    It’s also close to Na hlídce (https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2022/11/19/prague-3-day-8-na-hlidce/), which means ‘on a watch’.

    So V Bezpečí could also easily be named after/in honour of the state employees that this district was built to house in the first place. This seems the more likely option to me.

    Whatever the truth is, if you’re in this street, you can say that you’re literally safe, or out of harm’s way. Which I like.

  • Prague 3, day 43: Na Vlastním

    Originally published on Twitter on 5 June 2022.

    Na Vlastním was built in 1925.

    To tell the story, you may wish to go back to https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2022/11/19/prague-3-day-32-v-domove/, which describes how this neighbourhood came about.

    Apparently, Vlastní, like Domov, was a construction cooperative that built a large number of the homes round here.

    (Do go for a walk round here one summer evening – it’s absolutely gorgeous and almost eerily quiet)

    The name has another meaning, too: začít na vlastním means ‘to strike out on one’s own’.

  • Prague 3, day 42: Pod Vrcholem

    Originally published on Twitter on 4 June 2022.

    Pod Vrcholem was built in 1925.

    Under the same peak as yesterday (https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2022/11/20/prague-3-day-41-k-vrcholu/). That’s about it. And I promise there’s more gripping stuff to come.

  • Prague 3, day 41: K Vrcholu

    Originally published on Twitter on 3 June 2022.

    K Vrcholu was built in 1938, and translates as ‘to the peak’.

    We can keep this quite brief, as this is seemingly the same peak that ‘Na vrcholu’ is located on (https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2022/11/19/prague-3-day-4-na-vrcholu/).

    Although I’m pretty sure that the southernmost part of Na vrcholu is lower than any part of K vrcholu. Hmm.

    (Capital V for vrcholu or not? The fact that all the street signs are in caps means I’m not sure)

    Anyway, it’s now occurred to me that the peak that we’re talking about here is Vysočany, which is partly located in Praha 3.

  • Prague 3, day 40: K Chmelnici

    Originally published on Twitter on 2 June 2022.

    K Chmelnici was built in 1962.

    A chmelnice is a ‘hop garden’ (as in ‘beer’, not ‘skip and jump’, because Czech Republic). Chmel is the common hop, or humulus lupulus.

    Hop gardens are quite expensive to maintain, as hops are a climbing plant, so they need to be equipped with wooden poles so that they can grow. And the poles need to be replaced about once every twenty years.

    They’re most frequently found in north-west Bohemia; most were built in the 1930s.

    The Czech Republic has the fourth-highest number of hop gardens in the world, though the number is in decline.

    And there was presumably once one here.

    A ‘hop-picker’ is a česač chmele.

  • Prague 3, day 39: Na Balkáně

    Originally published on Twitter on 1 June 2022.

    Na Balkáně was built in 1925, and translates as ‘In the Balkans’.

    ‘Balkán’ is indeed the name of this part of Prague, which is located mainly in Vysočany but also partially in Žižkov.

    Na Balkáně is home to a gardening settlement, founded in 1938, and one of the oldest in Prague. It’s a lovely place to go for a walk.

    This is the actual centre of Prague. Possibly. Since 2021, there’s been an… erm, ‘object’ (insert your own comment on what it looks like here) in a children’s playground on Na Balkáně, marking the intersection of the northernmost, etc. points of the city.

    So, as this article puts it: if you really want to get to know the heart of Prague, you have to go to the Balkans: https://www.novinky.cz/clanek/domaci-na-vylet-do-skutecneho-stredu-prahy-musite-na-balkan-40362360

    FYI, you can also get to know the heart of Prague by going to the coastline of the ‘other’ Balkans in much of July and August of any given year.

    I haven’t fully worked out why these Balkans are named after the other Balkans, so send your answers over if you have them.

  • Prague 3, day 38: Na Lučinách

    Originally published on Twitter on 31 May 2022.

    Na Lučinách was built in 1947. It translates as ‘in the meadows’, or, literally, ‘on the meadows’.

    If you walk towards the meadows on K Lučínám (https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2022/11/19/prague-3-day-3-k-lucinam/), you end up in the meadows in Na Lučinách! Or you end up where the meadows were.

    I’m as supportive of greenery as the next man, but I’m kind of bored now and hoping tomorrow’s street is less meadowy.

  • Prague 3, day 37: Nad Lukami

    Originally published on Twitter on 30 May 2022.

    Nad Lukami was built in 1938, and translates as ‘Above the meadows’.

    We’ve already been by/at/near the (priestly) meadow: https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2022/11/18/prague-3-day-2-u-knezske-louky/.

    We’ve also headed towards them: https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2022/11/19/prague-3-day-3-k-lucinam/.

    I probably didn’t write these in a logical order. And, whatever this meadow was when it still existed, it seems to have gone by the names louka, luka or lučina. Some might call this an identity crisis.

  • Prague 3, day 36: V Okruží

    Originally published on Twitter on 29 May 2022.

    V Okruží was built in 1931.

    Does anybody like bad translations? Because the internet is giving me ‘in a ruff’. Which, if you replace the ‘r’ with an ‘h’, describes me as I try to make sense of this.

    Thankfully, my Lingea dictionary gives me the much more helpful ‘halo’.

    That said, a halo is typically a svatozář, a gloriola, or an aureola (if you’re seeing it around a saint’s head).

    And it’s a světelný kruh, or, yes, a halo if it’s around the sun.

    ANYWAY. Continuing the tradition of streets being named after their shapes (which started with https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2022/11/19/prague-3-day-4-na-vrcholu/), this particular street is in the shape of an arc. Hence the name.

    Realising all these streets are named after their shapes is making me understand a little better why I got so lost walking around here looking for street signs to take pictures of.

  • Prague 3, day 35: Křivá

    Originally posted on Twitter on 28 May 2022.

    Křivá was built in 1931.

    Křivá means ‘crooked’, which is a reasonable representation of the street’s shape.

    It can also mean ‘trumped up’, but, as proved by the photo above, this is not a street that I have invented.

    Promise.

    As with Luční yesterday (https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2022/11/19/prague-3-day-34-lucni/), there was also a Křivá II, built in 1947; from 1947 onwards, Křivá became known as Křivá I.

    In 1991, the two streets did the opposite of what Czechoslovakia would do on 1 January 1993, so now there’s just one Křivá, without a number.

    Křivé svědectví is perjury; a křivé obvinění is a false accusation.

    Křivé nohy, meanwhile, are bow legs.

  • Prague 3, day 34: Luční

    Originally published on Twitter on 27 May 2022.

    Luční was built in 1931.

    From 1931 to 1990, this was called Luční I. A nearby street was built in the same year, called, yes, Luční II.

    Clearly wanting to get a bit of that post-Berlin Wall vibe (or because Luční II got fed up with being reminded that sequels are often a bit rubbish compared to the originals), the two streets became one in 1990.

    Luční is an adjective derived from louka, meaning ‘meadow’ or ‘grassland’.

    Yes, this street is located very close to U kněžské louky: https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2022/11/18/prague-3-day-2-u-knezske-louky/

    For nature vocab fans, a luční kobylka is a grasshopper, and a jetel luční is a red clover.

  • Prague 3, day 33: Spojovací

    Originally published on Twitter on 26 May 2022.

    Spojovací was created in 1933.

    The literal translation would be ‘connecting’, although Google Translate seriously wants me to consider ‘syndetic’.

    Which is awesome.

    Spojovací was created by literally joining two other roads: Lipanská (there is another Lipanská in Žižkov, of course) and Husova.

    Not That Lipanská was, until 1900, called K Hrdlořezům, because it led to Hrdlořezy (which is the district that the eastern side of the road is located in).

    Spojovací does what is says on the tin, linking roads that lead out of Prague to Brandýs nad Labem, Poděbrady and Český Brod (I think).

    Vocabulary for people who are more technically minded than I am (i.e. everyone): spojovací materiál would be fasteners, such as screws (a spojovací šroub is an assembling bolt); a spojovací zákop is a communication trench, and a spojovací tyč is a connecting rod.

    This officially means I’ve now been all the way down Koněvova and back (not a metaphor). So, tomorrow, it’s time to head deeper into the north of Prague 3.

  • Prague 3, day 32: V Domově

    Originally published on Twitter on 25 May 2022.

    V Domově was built in 1925.

    Sometimes it’s easy to forget that Prague didn’t become the capital of an independent country until 1918, and that the civil service had previously been based in Vienna.

    As Prague gained in importance, its population grew rapidly too. In 1920, it was just under 730,000; by 1930, it would be over 950,000.

    This created an acute need for housing for civil servants. One of the construction cooperatives that came to the rescue was called Domov (Home).

    Domov built up a large chunk of this area between 1921 and 1925, with architect Ladislav Machoň (1888-1973) being responsible for the design.

    Machoň’s most famous works include the interiors of the Klementinum, the Faculty of Law at Charles University, and the Machoňova pasáž in Pardubice (photo taken from https://kudyznudy.cz/aktivity/machonova-pasaz-v-pardubicich…).

    Machoň was also responsible for the interior of the Koruna building on Václavák, which, in the 1930s, housed a fast-food canteen – one that was so successful that he apparently ended up designing the interior of another canteen in 1938 – this time on Regent Street in London.

    Photo of the interior of the original Koruna taken from https://pragitecture.eu/vaclavske-namesti-8461-koruna-building/…. If you can give me any more info or photos on the one on Regent Street, I’ll feel extremely indebted to you.

    Evidence of the fact that this neighbourhood was designed with civil servants in mind can be found in the names of various streets. Here’s an example: https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2022/11/19/prague-3-day-8-na-hlidce/, and here’s another: https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2022/11/19/prague-3-day-7-strazni/.