Ed Ley
@edley.bsky.social
🇬🇧 in 🇨🇿. Writes about Prague streets, one by one (currently covering Podolí). https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com
2) A ‘závit’ is a coil or a whorl, and the street is so named due to its shape.
December 9, 2025 at 7:07 PM
2) A ‘závit’ is a coil or a whorl, and the street is so named due to its shape.
7) In which case, why not enjoy a November story *and* a case where I was certain what the street was named after: whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/10/23/p....
Prague 1, day 212: 17. listopadu
Originally published on X on 28 April 2024. From the 16th century, this street was called Sanytrová, after ‘sanytr’, an Old Czech word for saltpetre, which is used to make gunpowder. In the 19th ce…
whatsinapraguestreetname.com
December 8, 2025 at 7:51 PM
7) In which case, why not enjoy a November story *and* a case where I was certain what the street was named after: whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/10/23/p....
6) For language fans, ‘studeni’ is November if you’re Croatian. For fans of falling leaves, ‘listopad’ is October in Croatian, but November in Czech.
December 8, 2025 at 7:51 PM
6) For language fans, ‘studeni’ is November if you’re Croatian. For fans of falling leaves, ‘listopad’ is October in Croatian, but November in Czech.
5) Part of Na Studeném became part of Vrbova (whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2025/12/02/p...) in 1973.
Prague 4, day 247: Vrbova
Vrbova was built in 1935. Originally, it was two streets – one called Pod myslivnou (Under the gamekeeper’s lodge), and one called Ve studeném (a name we’ll get on to before we le…
whatsinapraguestreetname.com
December 8, 2025 at 7:51 PM
5) Part of Na Studeném became part of Vrbova (whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2025/12/02/p...) in 1973.
4) This would make a lot of sense, as every other street round here seems to be named after something or someone in his works.
December 8, 2025 at 7:50 PM
4) This would make a lot of sense, as every other street round here seems to be named after something or someone in his works.
3) The other option – which I’ve not been able to prove, as that would involve having read 21 novels and ten plays on a working day – is that there’s something ‘studený’-tangential in one of the works by Alois Jirásek.
December 8, 2025 at 7:50 PM
3) The other option – which I’ve not been able to prove, as that would involve having read 21 novels and ten plays on a working day – is that there’s something ‘studený’-tangential in one of the works by Alois Jirásek.
2) ‘Studený’ means ‘cold’. Is it colder than elsewhere round here? I didn’t particularly notice.
December 8, 2025 at 7:50 PM
2) ‘Studený’ means ‘cold’. Is it colder than elsewhere round here? I didn’t particularly notice.
3) But it’s time to, erm, carry on, and here, we are talking about kempink, better known as camping. And this decidedly non-residential area is the site of Intercamp Kotva, a campsite right by the Vltava.
December 7, 2025 at 12:55 PM
3) But it’s time to, erm, carry on, and here, we are talking about kempink, better known as camping. And this decidedly non-residential area is the site of Intercamp Kotva, a campsite right by the Vltava.
2) I’ve mainly grown out of giggling at certain Czech transliterations of English words, but my ability to laugh when the English ending ‘-ing’ turns into ‘-ink’ hasn’t quite fizzled out yet. Think brífink, mítink, etc, and my personal winner, dispečink.
December 7, 2025 at 12:55 PM
2) I’ve mainly grown out of giggling at certain Czech transliterations of English words, but my ability to laugh when the English ending ‘-ing’ turns into ‘-ink’ hasn’t quite fizzled out yet. Think brífink, mítink, etc, and my personal winner, dispečink.
5) Vostrý came back to Bohemia during the Seven Years’ War, but was arrested for being a spy, and died under torture in 1760.
December 6, 2025 at 6:39 PM
5) Vostrý came back to Bohemia during the Seven Years’ War, but was arrested for being a spy, and died under torture in 1760.
4) It turns out that Vostrý was (based on) a real person, first name Jiří, born in 1702. He lived in exile in Zittau, now in Germany. He later moved to Berlin, specifically to Rixdorf (do check out whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2022/11/20/p... – you won’t regret it).
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.…
whatsinapraguestreetname.com
December 6, 2025 at 6:38 PM
4) It turns out that Vostrý was (based on) a real person, first name Jiří, born in 1702. He lived in exile in Zittau, now in Germany. He later moved to Berlin, specifically to Rixdorf (do check out whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2022/11/20/p... – you won’t regret it).
3) In said novel, Vostrý is a Protestant priest – a big no-no to the Habsburgs – and distributes non-Catholic literature. And he’s also the one who tries to get Machovec’s children to join their father abroad (success rate: one out of two).
December 6, 2025 at 6:38 PM
3) In said novel, Vostrý is a Protestant priest – a big no-no to the Habsburgs – and distributes non-Catholic literature. And he’s also the one who tries to get Machovec’s children to join their father abroad (success rate: one out of two).
2) Another day, another character from a Jirásek novel.
Actually, no, another day, another character from Temno by Jirásek (see whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2025/12/03/p...).
Actually, no, another day, another character from Temno by Jirásek (see whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2025/12/03/p...).
Prague 4, day 248: Machovcova
Machovcova was built in 1935. Until 1952, the street was called Pod myslivnou II, after a myslivna (gamekeeper’s lodge). As with yesterday, we’re spending some time in Jiráskova čtvrť, …
whatsinapraguestreetname.com
December 6, 2025 at 6:38 PM
2) Another day, another character from a Jirásek novel.
Actually, no, another day, another character from Temno by Jirásek (see whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2025/12/03/p...).
Actually, no, another day, another character from Temno by Jirásek (see whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2025/12/03/p...).
6) Skaláci was Jirásek’s first novel; he would write another five novels about the post-Bílá Hora period of Czech history, including Temno, as discussed two days ago (whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2025/12/03/p...).
Prague 4, day 248: Machovcova
Machovcova was built in 1935. Until 1952, the street was called Pod myslivnou II, after a myslivna (gamekeeper’s lodge). As with yesterday, we’re spending some time in Jiráskova čtvrť, …
whatsinapraguestreetname.com
December 5, 2025 at 10:18 PM
6) Skaláci was Jirásek’s first novel; he would write another five novels about the post-Bílá Hora period of Czech history, including Temno, as discussed two days ago (whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2025/12/03/p...).
5) After being arrested and physically punished, he moved to a farm which subsequently became known as ‘Na skalce’. The family endured, and the novel then follows his descendants during the events of 1775.
December 5, 2025 at 10:18 PM
5) After being arrested and physically punished, he moved to a farm which subsequently became known as ‘Na skalce’. The family endured, and the novel then follows his descendants during the events of 1775.
4) For the title of the novel, we have to rewind to 1628, when a character called Jíra Skalák had taken part in a peasant rebellion in the Náchod region.
December 5, 2025 at 10:18 PM
4) For the title of the novel, we have to rewind to 1628, when a character called Jíra Skalák had taken part in a peasant rebellion in the Náchod region.
3) Skaláci (1876) is Jirásek’s novel about the Peasant’s Uprising, which took place 101 years earlier. I won’t go into huge detail on that (spoiler: the peasants were still peasants after it), as it’s sure to come up in other posts.
December 5, 2025 at 10:18 PM
3) Skaláci (1876) is Jirásek’s novel about the Peasant’s Uprising, which took place 101 years earlier. I won’t go into huge detail on that (spoiler: the peasants were still peasants after it), as it’s sure to come up in other posts.
2) The Alois Jirásek (whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/09/01/p...) series continues.
Prague 2, day 154: Jiráskovo náměstí
Originally published on X on 13 April 2023. Jiráskovo náměstí was built in 1905 as a result of modifications to the riverbank. Until 1940, and again from 1945 to 1947, this was Riegrovo náměstí, af…
whatsinapraguestreetname.com
December 5, 2025 at 10:17 PM
2) The Alois Jirásek (whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/09/01/p...) series continues.
5) To make up for this, here’s a pic of Kobra Prague Winter Stadium, located on this street. It was opened in 1977; Okbra play in the country’s second ice hockey division.
December 4, 2025 at 8:39 PM
5) To make up for this, here’s a pic of Kobra Prague Winter Stadium, located on this street. It was opened in 1977; Okbra play in the country’s second ice hockey division.