Prague - names of streets

During 1946-1947 there was constructed the first Prague dwelling place – Solidarita in quarter of Strašnice. Afterthat followed Rybníčky in Strašnice, in 1958 dwelling place of Antal Stašek in quarter of Krč, 1956-1959 Petřiny, 1959 dwelling place of Invalidovna, 1963 Pankrác.

In 1961  big dwelling place of Severní Město ( North Town) containing Prosek, Ďáblice, Kobylisy and Bohnice was started to be constructed. In 1966 it was built Jižní Město (South Town) and Jihozápadní Město- Stodůlky and Řepy -(South-West Town).

The names of streets were used at the same time with development of the town. People named the streets , in order to to get about safety in town. At first, the streets received its name according to gates, squares and markets  ( Rybná, Ječná, Žitná, Masná, Uhelný, Dobytčí, Koňský trh) – i.e. Fishes´, Barleys´, Ryes´, Meats´ streets and Coal, Cattle, Horse Markets,etc. Further, the streets were named according to handycrafts, concentrated in certain places.(Platnéřská, Kožná, Celetná) – i.e. Linen str., Leather or Hides str., Bakers´ str., etc.

The streets received their names according to its character  (Dlouhá, Spálená, Dlážděná) – i.e. Long str., Burnt str., Paved str., etc. – or according to significative building  (Havelská, Klimentská, Tomášská) – i.e. St. Gallus str., St. Clement str., St.Thomas str. etc.

The names were  registered orally only, and at the end of 18th century the streets we marked with Czech-German  inscriptions. In 1888 there were introduced  cast-metal plates with black writing in yellow field and in 1893 Czech inscriptions only with black-white tables. The oldest names come from 14th century – Dlouhá třída (Long  Street) and Celetná ulice (Bakers´ Street).

At a moment when the further communities were joined to Prague, there arose a problem with streets indication. Anyway, the most important principle is  - the name of street would  appear once only. So, in 1968 there were in Prague 12 streets of writer Jan Neruda, 9 streets and railway buildings took name of composer Bedřich Smetana, 10 streets and 2 squares took the name of  Jan Amos Komenský, and according to the writer Alois Jirásek  were named

12 streets, 2 squares and  moreover 1 bridge!

We can follow the history of town according to names of streets. So, Charles Square and Charles Bridge remind Middle Ages, the Hussite period Bethlehem Square, Huss Street and Jan Želivský Street, fights against Fascism remind Fučík Street, Dukelských hrdinů ( Dukla-Heroes Street), 17th November Street, Sokolovo Street, etc.

As to great dwelling places: the streets´names were chosen according to  certain system. So, in Zahradní Město (Town of Gardens) you find the names according to plants ( Jahodová, Pomněnková, Sněženková ) –i.e. Strawberry str., Forget-me-not str., Snowdrop str. etc.

In Hostivař we find the streets according  to previous country life (Chalupnická, U potoka, Selská) - i.e. Small Farmer str., At a Brook, Peasant str. etc., in Prosek quarter the names derived from towns of North Bohemia – Jablonec str., Mimoň str., Česká Lípa str., Harrachov str. , etc.  In Old Town as well as New Town Quarters prevail historical names of streets.

The streets in Nusle and Vyšehrad quarters remind the oldest period of Bohemian history  (Boleslav str., Čestmír str., Křesomysl str., Ctirad str., Krok str., Vratislav str.) etc. And finally, on Barrandov dwelling place we find names of streets dedicated to actors and personalities  of Czech and world´s cinema art ( Voskovcova str., Werichova str., Chaplin square, Wassermann str., etc.)

The houses were originally  marked  according their owners but it was not sufficient. Since 14th century there appeared so called „house signes“ or maerks. There were painted or hacked into stone. A lot of these signs were created according to animals, things or coat of arms. To those most known belongs the house U Dvou slunců ( At Two Suns) , U tří housliček ( At Three Violins), U modrého jelínka ( At Blue Deer), U tří pštrosů ( At Three Ostrichs), etc.  The houses received its numbers since 1770. The numbering has its rules – the base is formed by flow-direction of Vltava river from south to north, in  transverse streets from river-flow and on left side there are odd numbers, whereas on right side there are even numbers.

Note:  all above mentioned information is taken from a book of Václav Cibula: „Objevujeme Prahu“.

Text: Markéta Řandová

Photo: Wikimedia Commons, Beentree, Wiki-vr, Patrick-Emil Zorner, Maros Mraz, Estec 

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