WALKS THROUGH PRAGUE 6

Walks around Prague 6 Part 2 Břevnov Střešovice Vokovice Veleslavín Břevnov • Střešovice • Vokovice • Veleslavín Břevnov • Střešovice • Vokovice • Veleslavín Part 2 Part 2 WALKS WALKS THROUGH THROUGH PRAGUE 6 PRAGUE 6

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Břevnov • Střešovice • Veleslavín • Vokovice Part 2 Walks through Prague6

– 4 – Walks through Prague 6 Part 2 English version Publisher: Ondřej Rolínek, Ječná 28, Praha 2 Print: Akontex s.r.o. Original text: PhDr Jiřina Chrastilová Editorial work, graphics, photos: Karla Šmídová, Vojtěch Rolínek Translation: YES – překlady a tlumočení, s.r.o., www.yespreklady.cz Number of copies: 5 000

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– 7 – Walks through Prague 6 – Part 2 B Today’s district of Prague 6 is composed of a number of previously independent municipalities. Two of these achieved town status during the period of the Austro- Hungarian Empire. The municipalities and towns were later gradually connected to become what is known today as Greater Prague, which was established by law in 1920 when Prague became the capital of the newly formed Czechoslovak Republic. Following this, Prague continued to expand after the city boundary was extended to include the villages on the outskirts of the built-up urban area. This section describes the neighbourhoods of Břevnov, Střešovice, Vokovice and Veleslavín. 1. Břevnov Břevnov is an ancient settlement built in the historical centre of Prague that was dominated by the first all male Benedictine monastery in the Czech lands,founded in 993 by Bishop Adalbert of Prague and Boleslaus II, Duke of Bohemia. Its name is derived from the legend in which both were destined to meet after a seer dreamt of a fountain marked with a cross (“břevno”) – hence Břevnov. At that time the monastery was surrounded by the dense Malejov Forest with an ancient country road leading through it. In later centuries, agricultural and vineyard home- steads were established in the place of the forest that was gradually cut down and several summer houses were added at the end of the 17th century.After the mid-19th century,the local settlement expanded sufficiently enough for Břevnov to be designated a country town in 1907. Břevnov

B – 8 – 1. Břevnov A settlement known as Tejnka (or Týnka) used to stand on the monastery land, centred around a “Meierhof”– nowadays the approximate location of the “U Kaštanu”pub. Its inhabitants were monastery subjects until the late 18th century. However, during the 19th century, modern con- struction reached the area and the original village slowly disappeared with the new development. Some farmhouses have remained though, with only local names reminding us of the others. The axis of the present day Břevnov is formed by Bělohorská Street that starts at Pohořelec and continues on the other side around the Hvězda Game Preserve to Bílá hora and Malý Břevnov. A provincial road used to lead from Hradčany (Castle District) through the Strahov Gate (later called the Imperial Gate - see the name on the corner house at Bělohorská No. 6/No. 180).The remains of the gate are located near the entrance to Strahov Monastery,where there is also a pre- served section of the Baroque fortification. A military cemetery also belonged to the fortifica- tion, the remains of which can now be seen in the ditch behind Jan Kepler Secondary School. The school building stands on the site of Kurz of Senftenava’s house, which Emperor Ru- dolf II donated to the astronomer Tycho Brahe.The Stargazers Monument depicting Johannes Kepler and Tycho Brahe by the sculptor Josef Vajc was unveiled in 1963. Tycho Brahe (Tyge Ottesen Brahe, 1546-1601) was a prominent Danish as- tronomer,as well as an astrologist and alchemist.He was a favourite of the Danish King and he founded the famous observatory on the Island of Hven. However, due to disagreements with the new king he had to leave his position and his country and eventually came to Prague at the invitation of Emperor Rudolf II. He was firstappointedtothenewobservatoryinthetownof BenátkynadJizerouwhere he was assisted by Johannes Kepler. He later used Queen Anne’s Summer House in the Royal Garden for his observations. He died in Prague of Tejnka Municipal heritage zone, Za Strahovem Street

– 9 – Walks through Prague 6 – Part 2 kidney failure and is buried in the Church of Our Lady in front of Týn. Several years ago his remains were exhumed and re-examined at the request of Danish scientists where it was confirmed that he had not died of poisoning but most likely of natural causes.Tycho Brahe is the author of an original compromise cosmological theory that states that the Earth is indeed the centre of the Universe but only the Sun and the Moon revolve around it while the other planets orbit the Sun. There are university dorms and a sports complex on the other side of Bělohorská Street along the town walls where the main centre is formed by the former “Sokol” Sports Association Festival Stadium (now called “Strahovský”), built in 1930-1932 by architects Alois Dryák, Ferdinand Balcárek and Karel Kopp for the IX Sokol Festival in 1932 (the association held earlier festivals at Letná). The huge stadium for 14,400 performers and 130,000 spectators was used under the Communist regime for what were known as “Spartakiads.”After the Velvet Revolution,large concerts were held there but nowadays it has fallen out of use.Participants in Spartakiads were accommodated in the student dor- mitories opposite the stadium.A tram loop was built at Dlabačov in 1948 to service the large number of visitors and participants for sporting events; today it is only used occasionally. Hybšmanka, Atletická č.4/čp.1113 There are several streets with names that remind us of the local homesteads behind the stadium, of which Hybšmanka is one. The name of this homestead is derived from Marie Anna – wife of the former owner,JosefJohannHipschmann.The homestead was first mentioned in the 18th cen- tury although it was probably established on older foundations.Today,after rebuilding,the building is in the style of a Baroque-Classicist suburban villa. Strahov stadium Hybšmanka

B – 10 – 1. Břevnov Kneislovka, Atletická No.5/No.2339 Kneislovka (originally in the Smíchov cadastre territory) was another homestead to bear the name of one of its owners,in this case,the Doctor of Theology and Prothonotary of the St.Vitus Chapter, JohanAndreasKneyssl(Kneissl).He bought it in 1774,but when the buildings burnt down four years later he had the estate rebuilt in Baroque style.The enclosure wall and the BaroquechapelofSt.John of Nepomuk in the corner of the plot have been preserved up to today.However,the chapel was built by the previous owner of the vineyard,the Metropolitan Canon of St.Vitus Cathedral and Auxiliary Bishop, Zdeněk Chřepický in 1724 and masses were given by the priests from Břevnov until 1873. After the owner,JakubWildner, died his widow left the homestead and the land was later taken over by the Prague City State Farm company who used part of it to establish allotment gardens.The build- ing itself is now private property and used for housing. Spiritka,Atletická No.11/No.2352 Spiritka has been rebuilt beyond recognition. The homestead and vineyards have been well known since the 16th century, although its name is derived from its owner Jan Spirit, who had it rebuilt in the Baroque style in the second half of the 18th century. Although still in use in the 19th century, it was virtually destroyed by the Prague City State Farm after World War II. It was later converted into apartments and is now a hotel and includes the large area of greenery on the southern slope of Strahov Hill. A pilgrimage route popular in its time that led from Loreto at Prague Castle to Loreto at Hájek via Kladno,used to pass through the Imperial Gate.Between 1720 and 1726,twenty small niche chapels were built along this road that depicted scenes from the Passion of Christ and from the life of St.Fran- Kneislovka

– 11 – Walks through Prague 6 – Part 2 cis of Assisi. Only eleven chapels remain today and these are being gradually repaired. The first of these is located just outside the former Impe- rial Gate at Dlabačov.The pilgrimage route used to lead to the left of the Imperial road, so some of the extant chapels are located in Hošťálkova Street, by Ladronka and at Bílá hora. A number of inter-war villas with gardens are also located in this area. Závěrka, Za Strahovem No. 14 and 18/No. 276 and 277 Závěrka is now defunct although the name is still a part of the local place names as a reminder of the past. A coaching inn with a vineyard once stood on the land although its main use was as the home of the toll collec- tor at the beginning of the road to the monastery lands and the village of Tejnka. The toll point used to be closed for the night – therefore having the name meaning “at the closing” in Czech. In the early 20th century the building was used solely for housing (reconstructed to a gallery building) Niche chapel Spiritka

B – 12 – 1. Břevnov and there were also some craftsmen’s workshops there too. However, the recent reconstruction bears little resemblance to the past. Königsmarka Königsmarka is a defunct homestead that once stood on the site of the contemporary Heleny Malířové Street in the territory of the Tejnka settlement. The name was given to the homestead by its owner, the lawyer Mikuláš Könisgmann. In 1741 the statue of St. John of Nepomuk was built during the 100 year period that the homestead belonged to the Břevnov Monastery (the Benedictines moved the Baroque statue to St. Margaret’s Church where it still stands today).The last reminder of the homestead is the name (in a somewhat garbled Czech translation) of the local “Královka”pub in Nad Tejnkou Street, No. 14/No. 378. Liborka Liborka was another defunct homestead which is now only remembered by a local name. In the 15th century there were two vineyards on the site,which were obtained by Liborius Ubelle in the mid-17th century and where he built a chapel in honour of his patron, St. Liborius.The court was transferred to the property of the Břevnov Monastery in 1715 which demolished the chapel and sold the estate (a painting of St. Liborius used to hang in the monastery abbot’s room).The original house number is now allocated to the block of flats at 49 Šlikova Street although the remains of the homestead are located in U dvora Street. Marjánka,Bělohorská No.35/No.262 Marjánka is the name of a famous former inn built around the mid-19th century. The house dating from around 1800 was purchased from the Benedictines by the Bartoš family who re- built it and then sold it. The current name is derived from the name of another owner’s wife – Mrs. Marie Zemanová – Mistress Marjánka, who with her first husband, and then following his death, with Jan Černý, her second husband who was a popular herbalist,increased the popu- Restauant Peklo Ulice U Dvora, místo, kde stávalaLiborka Marjánka

– 13 – Walks through Prague 6 – Part 2 larity of the local pub. The building then belonged to the Tellinger family from 1867 to 1957 who improved and extended it with an Art Nouveau ballroom (as referred to in the Old Prague song“They all dance like in a ballet at Marjánka”).In the 1920’s the“Dělnické divadlo Břevnov”theatre found its home there and it was also the seat of a trade union.Following the war,part of the building became a butcher’s before the entire building was confiscated by the government and given to the Elektropod- nik Company, which had a warehouse there. So Marjánka kept deteriorating and it is only recently that the premises have been restored. Some low one- and two-storey houses are still located along this (left) side of Bělohorská Street – remnants of late 19th century development.Newer homes stand on the other side of the street,as if sloping towards Patočkova Street. Directly opposite Marjánka is a Neo-Renaissance school building (Bělohorská No.52/No.417),which was built in 1910 according to the design of JosefLambertHöl- zel.The facade is decorated with medallions of prominent personalities from the history of education, including a relief of Jan Amos Comenius. Another school building was built during the period of the First Republic in connection with the construction of the residential blocks along Patočkova Street (Meziškolská No. 1/No. 1100). The street’s name is borne by the recently opened Kindergarten Meziškolská in Sartoriova Street which is built from 46 modules and caters for 112 children. The variability of the system allows eventual dismantling or different use after the current baby-boom subsides. Hostinec U kaštanu,(Bělohorská No.150/No.201) The“U kaštanu”inn is located on the old road leading around the Břevnov Monastery in the former monastery village of Tejnka (also known as Týnka). The original Baroque structure was apparently influenced by the Baroque-style rebuilding of the monastery. Its popularity greatly soared in the 19th century when the coaching inn was rebuilt and enlarged.Towards the end of the 19th century the local U Kaštanu Inn

B – 14 – 1. Břevnov premises served as a meeting venue for various organisations such as the Sokol association, fire bri- gade,amateur theatres,etc.The founding congress of theCzechoslovakSocialDemocraticParty was held there in April 1878 so the labour movement museum was opened there under the Communist regime.Today the “U kaštanu”inn is once again used as a venue for meetings and cultural activities. The striking Hotel“Pyramida” building stands at the beginning of Bělohorská Street on the right at Dlabačov.The local name of Dlabačov comes from the former head librarian of the Strahov Monas- tery,Jan Bohumír Dlabač (1758-1820).The hotel was built there as a Trade Union recreation centre in the mid-1980’s by Mr. and Mrs. Cajthaml. Today it bears the name synonymous with its shape –The Pyramid,and it is also used for cultural and sports activities. The parallel second axis of Břevnov is formed by PatočkovaAvenue,with StrahovTunnel (part of the Blanka tunnel complex) opening into it.Despite the major changes that have taken place in this area throughout the 20th century,when the land of the old homesteads was parcelled up so only a few parts still remain today, the biggest disruption was caused by the Blanka Tunnel construction. The Prague Malovanka – Pelc Tyrolka ring road leads from the northern portal of Strahov Tunnel under Hotel Pyramida to the flyover and then under Patočkova Street. Malovanka,Na Malovance No. 20/No. 123 Malovanka used to be a large farm on the border of two cadastre territories – Střešovice (where it now belongs) and Břevnov.The core of the estate proves that it was established in the 17th century.A coachman’s inn was situated here by the road to the city walls in the 18th century.The name is sup- posedly derived from the “painted”Strahov (Imperial) Gate.A Classicist rebuilding took place in the following century although some parts were demolished due to the expansion of Patočkova Street. Pyramida Hotel with a niche chapel

– 15 – Walks through Prague 6 – Part 2 ???? Malovanka Flyover Functionalist blocks – Patočkova No. 51 Na Kajetánkou Street

B – 16 – 1. Břevnov Schleiferka,Radimova No. 2/No. 33 The homestead of Schleiferka (Šleiferka) used to stand in nearby Radimova Street, which bears the name of the brother of St.Adalbert and the first Archbishop of Gniezno.This area was under the own- ership of the St. George Monastery at Prague Castle in the 14th century.The first documented non- clergy owner was Mikuláš Vopřetický, who was first mentioned in 1591. His widow bequeathed the homestead to her second husband, Adam Schleifert (so the name could be correctly spelt as “Schleif- ertka”) in 1622.After theThirty Years’War,the estate was not restored until 1655.After a brief change of ownership,the homestead returned to the Scheifert family until 1787.In 1806 it was bought byIm- perial Count Franz von Sickingen who also acquired the neighbouring estate of Petynka from Count Desfours.It clearly proved too much for the owners,so a sale of assets to cover debts followed and both homesteads were again separated from 1810. After further changes, the estate was finally bought by theCongregationofSchoolSistersoftheOrderofSt.Francis in 1922 and converted into a secondary school building. It was commandeered during the Nazi occupation by a German garrison and after the war the building was converted into a cultural centre and the former chapel was converted into a culture hall.In the 1960’s the building housed a television recording studio and then the “Na Petynce” club.The building is now in use again as a charitable home for the Congregation of the School Sisters of St.Francis. Petynka,Na Petynce No. 19/No. 32 Another local name reminds us of another homestead, namely Petynka. The summer pal- ace on the site of the original vineyard was built around 1650 by the owner of Rumburk, Earl František Eusebuis Pötting. He did not have much chance to use it though because he be- came the Ambassador to Spain in 1664. After his return he lived in Vienna until his death in 1678.The summer palace then continued to change ownership until the late 18th century when it was acquired by the Desfours.After some time it returned to the Pötting family.The Baroque building was then reconstructed in the Neo-Gothic style.In the 19th century Petynka became a popular destination, there was an inn with a garden and various dances and balls were held there.The last owner from the Pötting family was Count Emanuel (1820-1898).He became a provost in Olomouc and founded an educational institute for girls at Petynka before it was sold in 1898 to the Vincentinum Association (Society of St. Vincent de Paul for voluntary care for the poor in the Czech Kingdom),which was founded in 1876 to take care of the poor,the abandoned and terminally ill people. The soci- ety founded the Vincentinum House of Mercy at Petynka, along with a foundation for unding its work..The association was forcibly abolished in 1951,and the New Vincentinum is currently trying to get the facility back so a home for the elderly can be established there. Na Petynce Street Kajetánka

– 17 – Walks through Prague 6 – Part 2 Kajetánka,Radimova No. 10/No. 30 There were two vineyards that belonged to the women’s St. George Benedictine monastery that was originally in the place of the Kajetánka homestead.In the post-Hussite period,the eastern part of the land belonged to the pharmacist Augustin (as reported in 1557) and the western part was obtained by Jan and Dorota Moudrý (1559). In 1612 the vineyards were bought by Martin Fru- wein,who was active in the estates revolt against the Habsburgs.His property was confiscated after he died in prison in 1621. The confiscated property was bought by the Appeals Board councillor, Václav Behm of Hisenpach. After his death in 1628 his widow sold the property to the Martinics. It was purchased by Marie Eusebie, Countess of Martinic, born Šterberk (wife of Jaroslav Borzita of Martinice who was among the nobles thrown out of the window during what is known as the Second Defenestration of Prague). She was succeeded by the High Burgrave, Bernard Ignatius Martinic in 1649 who had a new chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary of Öttingen (also Altöt- tingen, according to the Bavarian model) built in 1665.The chapel soon gained great popularity in the vicinity,with large processions frequently held there.In 1672 it was visited by Leopold I (unfor- tunately the chapel was largely demolished in 1822, with only the octagonal enclosure remaining). Martinic was also responsible for improving the vineyards and had a new house with a park built. In 1666 he donated the property to the Theatines, the Order of St. Cajetan (hence the name of the estate). A Baroque rebuilding took place in the early 18th century, when the pond and the wall enclosing the premises were built. The monastery was abolished under Emperor Joseph II and the entire property was bought by chamberlain Jan Marcel, Knight Hennet in 1789.The purchase contract lists residential and farm buildings, fields, hop gardens, ponds and a church. At the end of the 18th century the estate was bought by the Kounic family who used the manor as their summer residence.The next owner was the Lobkowicz’secretary, Heinrich Schmied, who in 1832 modified the manor to make it suitable for all year living.However,this did not last long and the area was gradually divided into individual plots and sold.The first Prague oilcloth factory was established in the place of the former homestead although it burnt down in 1881. Later, the manor was again used for housing, and Julius Grégr (publisher of the “Národní listy”newspaper) lived here followed by Jan Kolátor,Mayor of Břevnov, in the early 20th century.The building belonged to his family until World War II. Under the Communist regime the property was used as a House of Pioneers and Youth,and in the 1990’s the building was returned back to the original owner’s family and subsequently sold. A block of residential flats were built in the area between Kajetánka and the Břevnov Monas- tery during the period of the First Republic, which are interesting from an architectural point of view because they were built in the then dominant Functionalist style.This development was then continued in a rather unfortunate way in the 1970’s with the construction of another residential complex just below the monastery.These homes were built almost perpendicular to the watercourse of the Brusnice Stream, and it raised the groundwater level in the monastery.This of course had a negative effect on the buildings which the Benedictine monks had to solve during the restoration in the early 1990’s. This apartment complex is usually called the“Stick”or“At the truncheon”because the apartments were espe- cially designed for the families of the employees of the Ministry of Interior. The two main streets – Patočkova and Bělohorská – meet by the Břevnov Monastery.

B – 18 – 1. Břevnov Benedictine monastery in Břevnov The Benedictine Monastery in Břevnov was jointly founded in 993 by the second Czech Bishop Adalbert (later canonized) and Prince Boleslaus II. The spring by which they met, called Vojtěška, is still there (in a Baroque summer house in the garden).This is actually the spring for the Brusnice Stream,which flows eastwards from there and then through the Deer Moat of Prague Castle. According to legend, there was water in the spring even in times of drought, although at times of disasters the water would turn red.This was the case in 1419 when King Wenceslas IV died and the Hussite wars began. Following this, the local people kept a watch on the water and when it became cloudy they would anxiously await forthcoming events.The Czech name of the stream presents a problem – it may possibly originate from the “grumbling” sound it made at higher water levels. The oldest building on the premises is today’s crypt under the church (probably the original church) from the beginning of the 11th century.Otherwise,the entire premises are built in Baroque style,from the first half of the 18th century.The work is that of Kryštof Dientzenhofer and his son,Kilián Ignác. TheChurchofSt.Margaret is an excellent example of high Baroque architecture,completed with in- terior decoration dominated by paintings by Petr Brandl.The late BaroqueTheresa Hall with a fresco by Kosmas Damián Asam depicts the Miracle of Gunther of Bohemia. The Břevnov Monastery premises are surrounded by a large park which is being gradually renewed.The large greenhouse was recently renovated in line with the original Baroque design. Pope John Paul II stayed in the Monas- tery during his visit for the millennium celebrations in 1993. St. Margaret, to whom the abbey church has been dedicated since the 13th century, is the patron saint of good weather and good harvest. In the agricultural environment it was necessary to gain the favour of this saint The Monastery in Břevnov

– 19 – Walks through Prague 6 – Part 2 Břevnov Monastery Baroque summer house in the garden – Vojtěška

B – 20 – 1. Břevnov Břevnov pond Granary

– 21 – Walks through Prague 6 – Part 2 Břevnov Monastery - the renewed Baroque orangery St. Margaret‘s Church Interior of St. Margaret‘s Church

B – 22 – 1. Břevnov and to properly thank her for a good harvest. That is why the very popular St. Margaret’s pilgrimage was held here annually, which always took place on the first Sunday after the feast of St. Margaret. According to legend, the processions began in the time of King Ottokar II who brought the holy relic from the victorious Battle of Kressebrunn.The arm of St.Margaret was placed in St.Vitus church but a procession was organized to carry this relic while praying for rain at a time of severe drought in 1262.As the procession passed Břevnov monastery it began to rain and to show his gratitude the King donated the reliquary to the monastery (placed in the church on the altar on the right side of the presbytery). The pilgrimages later moved to the Hvězda Game Preserve, although over time they became an excuse for raunchy revelry and were officially banned at the beginning of the 20th century. The Břevnov cemetery with the cemetery chapel dedicated to St. Lazarus (U Vojtěšky Street) is located on the other side of the monastery.The Rococo style chapel with a ceiling fresco of the Last Judgement painted by Josef Hager in 1778 was consecrated in 1762.The graves of famous personali- ties are located in the cemetery.There is the grave of the songwriter Karel Kryl (1944-1994),the pro- fessor and philosopher Jan Patočka (1907-1977) and the painter FrantišekTichý (1896-1961).The founder of the Institute for the Blind in the Lesser Quarter, Pavel Josef Klár (1800-1860), the poet Ivan Diviš (1924-1999) and of course the arch abbot (60th abbot) Anastásius Opasek (1913-1999) who restored Břevnov Monastery are all buried there. And there is one more – little known – item of curiosity. Scrinci Jan Antonín (1697-1773) was a native of Prague, the son of an Italian architect, both talented and widely educated. After graduating as a doctor he studied a strange disease known as ergotism which manifested itself with convulsions and hallucinations. He proved that it was not a disease but alkaloid poisoning – after the rainy summer of 1736, people used flour with excessive amounts of ground ergot to bake their bread. Due to this success he became a professor of the Faculty of Medicine in Prague in 1738 and taught physiology, pathology and hygiene in Karolinum. Scrincicomplementedhislectureswithdemonstrationsbutunfortunatelywedonotknowwhattheywerelike. Thesewereheldinthecourtyardof theBřevnovMonasterywhereononeoccasionheconductedanexperiment with the Magdeburg hemispheres observed by the Court of MariaTheresa and Francis of Lorraine. In 1753 he tried – unfortunately unsuccessfully – to establish an Academy in Prague. Ladronka

– 23 – Walks through Prague 6 – Part 2 He was also married to the daughter of Joseph Dobner (Daubner), a Lesser Quarter citizen and furniture maker, and thus became the brother-in-law of the historian Gelasius Dobner. A little further on is the Markéta speedway stadium which also hosts international motorcycle races – the first was held in 1965.The stadium features in a famous anecdote told about the Communist Regime,and that is that the mass held in St.Margaret’s Church for the death of the Nobel Prize Lau- reate Jaroslav Seifert in January 1986 could barely be heard because the ceremony was drowned out by the noise coming from the motor stadium on the order of the Communist State Security service. Ladronka,Tomanova No. 1/No. 1028 The large homestead ofLadronka has dominated the ridge above the Motol valley since the 17th cen- tury.The fields and vineyards, originally owned by Baron Švihovský, were bought by General Count FilipFerdinandofLadron in 1688 who gradually built a huge estate stretching all the way to Smíchov (there was also another “Ladronka”there).The origin of the name is self explanatory although there is another explanation as well – it comes from the Italian word “ladro”– thief.It is not known if there was any connection to the General, in this aspect.There was a coaching inn previously built on the land. Ladron’s widow sold the estate to Count Volf Pötting (see Petynka) – the Grand Prior of the Knights of Malta. When the ownership later changed, the large property was gradually divided into plots and sold, although the inn remained there until the 1950’s. Several flats where then built on the land followed by the headquarters of a housing administration and a parks and orchards company. All this resulted in a rapid deterioration of the building. The unsatisfactory condition of Landronka was worsened by squatters who occupied it in 1994. It was finally repaired in 2002-05 and a leisure complex was built there which featured a restaurant that was so successful that the building was nominated for the “building of the year”award in 2006.In addition to this there is also a 3.8 km in-line skating track. Šafránka

B – 24 – 1. Břevnov Šafránka,Kukulova No.20 Šafránka is the last of the local farmsteads and was originally part of Motol.There was a vineyard lo- cated there in the 14th century although this was not mentioned until 1784. A point of interest is that there are more farmsteads of the same name in Prague.The local vineyards later disappeared and the farm from the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries was used by the State Farm company after World War II.Not much is now left of this historical building because it burned down a few years ago and most of the land now belongs to the Motol Hospital. “Na Vypichu” is a local name created in the early 19th century when a solitary house called “Above the brick manufacturers”was built there.The name probably comes from “houses standing aside”. Further on the right is the large Hvězda Game Preserve with a Renaissance summer house bearing the same name (cadastre territory of Horní Liboc),and Bělohorská Street (leading into Karlovarská),which then takes us to Malý Břevnov. Malý Břevnov is the name of the third settlement in present day Břevnov, in fact – in addition to Břevnov itself (later calledVelký Břevnov) and the settlement ofTejnka there was another settlement here,initially called Břevnovec – Malý Břevnov, from the late 18th century. This is where “Bíláhora”(White Mountain),whose name has become synonymous with the repression of the Czech kingdom,is located.The unfortunate battle (actually,more of a skirmish) which ended the Czech estates uprising and began the recatholicisation, was fought there on 8 November 1620.Today, a mound stands on the site of the battle.The Catholics held a thanksgiving pilgrimage there in 1624. Ferdinand II later responded to it by having a chapel built closer to the main road to commemorate the victory of the Habsburgs (and the Catholics).The foundation stone of this building was laid in 1628 and the chapel was cared for by the Servite Order. The monastery was not finished though (instead, there was a hospital) and the chapel was badly damaged several times during future wars.It was restored at the very beginning of the 18th century and was later further extended. Several chapels connected by a cloister were gradually erected and the main shrine was consecrated to Our Lady of Victory in 1706. Battle in Bílá Hora (White Mountain) Větrník

– 25 – Walks through Prague 6 – Part 2 The development of the complex continued until about the mid-18th century.The interior painting was by Kosma Damián Asam and Václav Vavřinec Reiner. At the end of the 18th century, during the reign of Joseph II,the pilgrimage site was abolished and the unfinished monastery was converted into a tavern. In 1811 however, the pilgrimage centre was returned to the Catholic Church and today it is under the administration of the Benedictine Monastery of St.Margaret. Větrník This rather interesting and unique feature is located in the direction of Petřiny,by Ankarská Street.The windmill used to be part of the monastery complex and was an authentic Dutch style windmill built in a convenient location (U Větrníku Street No.1/No.40) in 1722.Grain was milled there until the 1860’s although by then it was in private hands – it had belonged to the Kouhoutek family since 1794. It was later extended and adapted for housing purposes.Its cylindrical tower still reveals its past and its unique nature as it is the only existing windmill in Prague. Another – smaller – windmill used to stand nearby although this was demolished in 1912.These wind- mills are the source of the local names. The same name was given to the local university dorms built in 1964-1967 and designed by VladimírHladík. They were later extended by other buildings and recently modernized.The set of buildings are called “Větrník- South” (“Hvězda”) and “Větrník-North” (“Větrník”). Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences This significant building of a new era can be reached from Ankarská Street along Zeyerova Street and along the game preserve. The modern building of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic’s Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences

B – 26 – 1. Břevnov Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry built in 1960-1964 designed by the architect Karel Prager has also been part of Břevnov.The square where the building (No. 1888) is located bears the name of the Nobel Prize Laureate,Jaroslav Heyrovský.The Institute was co-founded by another prominent scientist, OttoWichterle (1913-1998).His monument stands in the park in front of the building. Petřiny housing estate The Petřiny housing estate between Heyrovského Square and the military hospital belongs partly to the cadastral territory of Břevnov and partly to the territory of Veleslavín. It is the oldest “panel” housing estate in Prague built in 1959-1969 and designed by the architects Evžen Benda and Vojtěch Mixa. In recent years it has been extended by additional housing complexes, built as part of projects by such architects as Milunič. Na Petřinách Street Central Military Hospital

– 27 – Walks through Prague 6 – Part 2 Central Military Hospital The Central Military Hospital is generally regarded as located in Střešovice although it is actually reg- istered in the cadastre territory of Břevnov. Establishment of a military hospital had been under consideration for quite some time because the for- mer hospital buildings were already inadequate,although the location was not selected until the 1930’s. Construction began in 1936 and the first part of the complex was inaugurated on 1 July 1938 and called The Masaryk Military Hospital. During World War II there was a German military hospital on the site that treated up to 2,000 patients at various times (the hospital only had 400 beds when it opened). After the war, the whole facility was modernized and expanded with more departments until it became one of the best in the country.Today, of course, it treats all patients, not just soldiers. Rothmayer’s Villa In the nearby street U páté baterie No. 50/No. 896 (or U vojenské nemocnice No. 12) is an inter- estingly designed villa built by Otto Rothmayer (1892-1966) for his family. He was an architect and successor of Josip Plečnik. The vicinity of the house looked different then than today. Now the view from the garden is obscured by the military hospital buildings and various others. The charming building extends into the garden through a fascinating cylindrical object that hides a spiral staircase.This garden inspired another friend of the architect, the photographer Josef Sudek (1896-1976), and it became the subject of a number of his photographs.The author’s family lived in the building until 2008 when it was purchased by the Prague City Gallery.The building will be opened to the public after reconstruction. Rothmayer’s Villa #

S – 28 – 2. Střešovice

– 29 – Walks through Prague 6 – Part 2 S 2. Střešovice The first written mention of the village of Střešovice (Třešovice) can be found in the false Břevnov Monastery foundation charter from 993 where it appears in the property list. Archaeological re- search has confirmed that the village dates back to the 10th century. A cemetery from the 10th -11th century was located in the area between Střešovická and Pod kostelem streets and the existence of a settlement was also confirmed. It became the property of the Strahov Monastery in the mid-12th century and belonged to the Premonstratensian Order with a few interruptions until the early 20th century and has been a part of Prague since 1922. Střešovice underwent explosive development in the interwar period – the former monastic settlement grew into a fashionable district with many large villas. The transport hub at Střešovická Street has become the axis of Střešovice and divides the area into two parts – the garden residential area of Ořechovka and the other area with the re- mains of the older development. An interesting protected landscape formation of sandstone rocks is located on the left of this street towards the military hospital. Unfortunately, the old houses that were “glued”to the rocks in the past were torn down in the 1980’s.Their “footprints”can still be seen in the rocks. Other houses that recall the former suburb also disappeared in the 1980’s – especially in U Hradního vodojemu Street, so not so much of the old Střešovice still remains today. Streets in the immediate vicinity of the military hospital bear “military” names. However, these are not related to the original purpose of the hospital at all but refer to much older history, from the time of the Austro-Prussian wars in the 18th century.The first war broke out after the ascension of MariaTheresa to the throne in 1740 and is known as the War of the Austrian Succession – in its first phase Prague was occupied by the Bavarian-French allied troops. Fighting broke out several times in spite of the peace treaties that were concluded.The third phase of the war, the Seven Years’War (1756-1763), involved all the European powers.In the summer of 1757 Prague was under siege for several weeks by the troops of the Prussian King Frederick II and the Prussian army had its artillery concentrated there.

S – 30 – 2. Střešovice This may be the reason why the local streets and residential blocks seem to be drawn up by a mil- itary planner, yet there is also a lot of greenery due to the generous size of the plots.Thesquare called “Před bateriemi” has also been treated as a park. One of the local church buildings – a Functionalist building of the Czechoslovak Hussite Church built in 1938 and designed by the architect Bohumír Kozák stands there. It is a striking building with a tower section and numerous Historicist elements in the interior and exterior. ThDr. Karel Farský (1880-1927) was originally a Roman Catholic priest, a follower of modernist ideas in the Church and an exponent of reformist priests. This eventually led to separation from the Catholic Church and the establishment of the in- dependent national reform Czechoslovak Hussite Church in 1920. He became its first patriarch and playedanessentialroleinestablishingitsowntheo- logical college in Dejvice as well.He is the author of a number of theological works. The Czechoslovak Hussite Church View of Střešovice

– 31 – Walks through Prague 6 – Part 2 The main Roman Catholic churchofSt.Norbert in Sibeliova Street is a few decades older;because of the ecclesiastical authorities,the municipality had to wait for a long time to get its own parish church because it was assumed that the congregation would go to Strahov.The Church of St.Norbert,built by the architect František Rožánek in Neo-Romanesque style, was consecrated in 1891 (St. Norbert is the patron saint of Strahov Monastery).The interior is decorated with wood carvings by Josef Krejčík and the pictures are the work of the painter Jan Heřman.The local name of Norbertov began to be used according to the dedication of the church, and one of the adjacent streets bears this as well.The church parish house is located in Sibeliova Street No.2/No.49. Not far from Před bateriemi Square, the local name of Andělka recalls an older church tradition. An important road used to lead through Střešovice from Břevnov along the hill tops and the Abbot Gabriel of Strahov built a new noble manor by this road in 1756 on the site of an older vineyard (Pod bateriemi No. 7).The name comes from the chapel built along with the manor and dedicated to the Virgin Mary – Queen of the Angels. In the early 20th century, Strahov Monastery built a nursing home for children called Norbertinum but it was demolished after World War I.The Sokol association’s gym was built on part of the land – today’s Tatran Střešovice. Unfortunately the oldest part of the building was senselessly demolished in 1970 although a part of the original layout of the feudal court has been preserved.In the early 19th century the land was mostly parcelled out and built over with small houses.The main building on the estate then served as an inn. This area,along with a few other houses,formed the core of the historical Střešovice. After 1526,when the Habsburg dynasty ascended to the Czech throne in the person of Ferdinand I,a gradual Renaissance reconstruction of Prague Castle began and green areas were created in its vicinity, notably the Royal Garden.Since it led to greater water consumption,Ferdinand I had a new CastleWaterPipeline built in 1540 which started by Andělka.Apparently it was a pipe leading through a tunnel from there to the Castle Church of St. Norbert

S – 32 – 2. Střešovice through Czernin Field and to the Royal Garden.The royal castle’s water pipeline was further extended about 20 years later.Water from the collecting drifts in Střešovice,Veleslavín and Liboc led to the royal kitchen and to the fountain at St. George Square at the Castle.The water source was later extended once again with various ponds, some of which still remain in the area. Continuing along Pod Andělkou Street leads to the area called Na Kocourkách.The street has borne this name since 1957 although it has a much longer history. Kocourka,Ve Střešovičkách No.6/No.36 The name was already attested to in the 18th century when there was a Břevnov shepherd’s house there although later the name was used for the entire area of the south hillside behind Břevnov. It was likely derived from the name of one of the owners of the local vineyard.This area has carried the name of Malé Střešovice since 1838 and today is known as Střešovičky. Only a single house used to stand in Na Ko- courkách until the end of the 18th century.This was followed by house No.16 and others were later added. Na Kocourkách Street – today called Golden Lane in Střešovičky, is the oldest preserved local street. Painter and graphic artist Karel Holan (1893-1953), who is relatively unknown today, lived in one of the local houses. He was a member of the Arts Group and the Mánes Association of Visual Artists. His inspiration from work by Munch is visible in his early works. Initially, he focused on the social issues of Prague outskirts, and later painted landscapes and Prague themes. One of the local farmsteads was called Hubálka (see Na Hubálce Street, between Sibeliova and Střešovická).Only contemporary witnesses and old photos recall the estate which was demolished after 1950.An inn called “NaHubálce” used to stand there as well,where the members of the brick workers’ association used to meet.However, only the street name has remained from its history. Na Kocourkách Street

– 33 – Walks through Prague 6 – Part 2 The nearby street is called U střešovických hřišť – By Střešovice sports grounds, which it is obvi- ously related to.There are also the popular Petynka swimming pools with a 50 metres long swim- ming pool and a unique – more than 100 meters long – water slide. Nad Hradním vodojemem Street also flows into Sibeliova Street and then runs almost parallel to the main Střešovická Avenue, and an architectural gem is located on it. Müller’s Villa,Nad Hradním vodojemem No. 14/No. 642 Müller’s Villa is an extremely interesting Functionalist villa built by Adolf Loos in 1928-30. The world-renowned architect applied the so-called Raumplan,a system of internal surfaces without limi- tation by floors,in the project.This principle was also partially used in the design of the garden,which was renovated in 1999 back to its original form along with the villa. Quite a number of original fea- tures remain in the interior of the villa,such as furnishings for the bathrooms,kitchens,halls,etc.,and the rooms are mostly furnished with the origi- nal furniture.The commissioner of the building was a co-owner of a construction company, Ing. František Müller. A large part of the property was seized after the Communist coup, and after 1989 it was returned to the family who then sold it to the City of Prague and following a sensitive restoration it is now a museum for the architec- ture of its time. Adolf Loos (1870-1933) is a world-renowned architect. He was born in Brno as the son of a Jew- ish stonemason. He is the creator of a distinctive Müller’s Villa Müller’s Villa

S – 34 – 2. Střešovice cubic design of buildings and studied at a technical school in Liberec and a technology college in Brno. He lived alternately in Vienna and Paris, and during his visits to Prague he regularly stayed at the Palace Hotel where he kept a prepaid suite. His buildings can be found in Prague, Brno, Vienna and elsewhere. He taught art classes which were attended by Rudolf Wels, Karl Simon, Jacques Groag, Ernst Wiesner, Sigismund Kerekes and Heinrich Kulka, among others. He had two villas built in Prague using the “Raumplan”, composed of interconnected spaces on different levels and dominated by a habitable hall extending over two floors. Loos received an honorary pension from President Masaryk in 1930. He died in Kalksburg near Vienna. Even though Nad Hradním vodojemem Street has suffered some significant losses to its monu- ments in the recent past, new traditions have also been gradually established. The renowned family business of “Jaroslav Huder and Son” (No. 17/No. 25), with its roots in the early 20th century, certainly contributes to this with a car- nival that includes pig butchering and other events. The butcher’s even holds the record for the longest sausage. The atmosphere of the former suburb is evoked by a bell tower from the 19th century, recently repaired under the initiative of the “Staré Střešovice” civic association (established in 1997). Nearby Starostřešovická Street and part of Pod bateriemi Street are still reminiscent of their earlier history with their buildings. One of interesting aspirants to the title of memo- rial tree stands opposite the house at Nad Hrad- ním vodojemem No. 59/No. 67. It is a mulberry tree, about 140 years old.These fruit and ornamental trees are rarely planted nowadays, and only a few of the 15 species can survive the winter in the Czech Republic. Ořechovka The name of the area comes from the former homestead from 1710 which belonged to the secre- tary of the court chamber, Jan Kryštof Bořek – thus Bořekovka – then Vořechovka and Ořechovka in “proper”Czech.According to testimony there was a beautiful French style garden by his mansion – until the moment when it was destroyed by the French army in 1742. Later, the area fell into the hands of the military and artillery labs were established there (see Dělostřelecká Street) along with an arms depot. After the foundation of Czechoslovakia, the local land was parcelled out for residential develop- ment. The Bell Tower, Nad hradním vodojemem Street

– 35 – Walks through Prague 6 – Part 2 A garden city is an urban development phenomenon of the turn of the 19th and 20th century, based on the ideas of the American Ebenezer Howard (1850-1928). The central theme of his work is a combination of urban and rural life, and a response to the ever-denser urban agglomerations. It is essentially a closed unit which does not rely on expansion as such but repeating the same urban solution on the adjacent area. The concept of a garden city first took roots in the UK. In Czechoslovak (and especially Prague) architec- ture it appears in the 1920’s in connection with the activities of the State Regulatory Commission. The extensive construction of garden cities was even subsidized from the public budget but the original idea of “social” housing had already been abandoned at that time. The first garden city in Prague was established in Ořechovka in Střešovice, other Prague districts followed later. In Prague 6, this is mainly the residential area at Baba. The regulatory plan for Ořechovka is the work of the urban planners, Jaroslav Vondrák and Jan Šenkýř who won the tender issued in 1920.Within a few years,a modern neighbourhood with 197 homes and 224 apartments was created.The centre of the district is formed by Macharovo Square with an interesting multifunctional building with shops,a doctor’s office,a cinema and a restaurant (designed by Jaroslav Vondrák). A theatre, a dance hall and a cinema were also built there as well. The area was declared a conservation area in 1991 due to its architectural uniqueness. Strict rules applied to the construction of the local villas to preserve the uniform character of a garden city. Most of the villas were designed by the prominent architects of that time; many of whom also built their own houses there. There are two streets – Západní and Východní – leading around Macharovo Square. Jaroslav Von- drák’s villa in Západní No. 21/No. 488 was built in 1923-24 according to the owner, the architect Jaroslav Vondrák,He was also involved in the development of the urbanism of the area,which was presented as the Prague exhibition hall of modern architecture.The peculiar form of the villa seems Ořechovka

S – 36 – 2. Střešovice Vondrák’s Villa

– 37 – Walks through Prague 6 – Part 2 Vincenc Beneš Villa

S – 38 – 2. Střešovice to be composed of three geometrical bodies which are interconnected, and thus represents a special asymmetric structure. The villa next door (No.19/No.489) was constructed accord- ing to the design of Alois Dryák. Kafka’s Villa, Na Ořechovce No.41/No.484 Kafka’s villa stands at Na Ořechovce No. 41/No. 484. The two-storey open brickwork house was built in 1923-24 and designed by the architect Pavel Janák.It was built for the sculptor Bohumil Kafka (1878-1942) and hiswifeBerta.The simple facade above the entrance of the house is decorat- ed with a bust of the sculptor,created by himself (a commemorative plaque from 1969).The sculptor’s studio was located on the ground floor.The child- less Mrs. Kafková lived here after her husband’s death, upon which she bequeathed the house to her nurse.Her family still owns the house. Another sculptor,Otakar Španiel (1881-1955,plaque) lived in the same street (Na Ořechovce No. 35/No. 487). His villa was built in 1924 by the architect Ladislav Machoň. Kafka‘s Villa Španiel’s Villa

– 39 – Walks through Prague 6 – Part 2 A third sculptor, Břetislav Benda (1897-1983) owned the immediately adjacent villa No. 37/No. 486 that was built for his family by the architect Fr.Vahala. There is a house in the side street called Lomená (No.12/No.494) built by thearchitectPavelJanák for the family of the painter Emanuel Filla (1882-1953) and his brother-in-law, František Krejčí (1904-1968). Špála’s Villa, Na Dračkách No. 5/No. 755. Painter and graphic artist Václav Špála (1885-1946) commissioned the construction of his villa to architect Otakar Novotný, his colleague in the Mánes Association.The architect built a residential building with a studio as an open brickwork cube divided only by window openings in 1931-32.He also designed the arrangement of the beautiful garden.The villa is still owned by the family. Painter and illustrator Václav Fiala (1896-1980) lived in the same street in villa No. 25/No. 847. Špála’s Villa House in Lomená Street by architect Pavel Janák

S – 40 – 2. Střešovice The apartment and studio of the painter Miloslav Holý (1897-1974) used to be in Střešovická Street No. 54/No. 853. Painter Vincenc Beneš (1883-1979), who is also known also for his modern day decoration of the National Theatre, owned a house in Cukrovarnická Street No. 24/No. 492. His home and studio was also designed by the architect Pavel Janák. ThesmallStřešovicecemetery,established in the late 19th century (1899) is located at the end of Cuk- rovarnická Street near the railway (No.131).In earlier times,people were buried in St.John’s cemetery in Šárka (founded as a plague cemetery in 1713).There are a number of military graves there,remind- ers of the First and Second World Wars.ThepainterEmilFilla (1882-1953),his brother-in-law – the musician Iša Krejčí (1904-1968), the singer Milan Chladil (1931-1984), the brother of President Edvard Beneš and politician Vojtěch Beneš (1878-1951) are also buried there. The name of the president’s brother is not widely known amongst the public but Vojtěch (or Vojta) Beneš was also a politician and a Member of Parliament. Before World War I he was engaged in the U.S. in relation to contacts with expatriate movements. His involvement was later used by T.G. Masaryk when organizing the so-called first resistance. In the interwar period he dealt with education issues in addition to his political activities – including the position of the Head Inspector of National Education.During World War II he was again engaged in the U.S.From 1946 to 1948 he worked in the Constitutional National Assembly and when the Communist coup took place in February 1948 he was a supporter of a hard-line stance, then emigrated again. After his death, his remains were moved to Prague and buried in an inconspicuous plot in Střešovice cemetery. His sons continue to be involved in politics, and his daughter is married to Zbigniew Brzezinski. The Střešovice cemetery

– 41 – Walks through Prague 6 – Part 2 It is interesting that immediately after planning the neighbourhood, the original Sugar Research Institute was built there – now the Czech Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Physics (Cukrovar- nická No. 10/No. 112). It is an institution focused on basic and applied research in physics, with its origins in the 1930’s in the Škoda factory in Pilsen.The Institute library is located here. One interesting feature that was typical for suburban areas was that those who could not afford to own a large garden became small-scale gardeners. In the 1920‘s these gardeners would set up allotment gardens to grow foodstuffs for their own needs and they were usually allowed to build a gazebo or a wooden shed on the allotment. Under the Communist regime people could relax in the company of others with similar interests in such gardens. Recently however, these allotment gardens are being cancelled because of the increasing price of urban land. One of the oldest allotment gardens still exists in Střešovice on the edge of Ořechovka. It was founded in 1926 and contains various painted and carved wooden gazebos. Architect Bohumil Hübschmann (Hybšman,1878-1961) built a family villa in U laboratoře Street No.4/No.565 in 1926-27.The austere exterior hides a complex interior with two interior staircases and a conservatory.The house is still owned by the builder’s family. After the occupation of Austria, Adolf Eichmann set up the Zentralstelle für Jüdische Auswanderung (Central Office for Jewish Emigration) in Vienna. Immediately after the occupation of Bohemia and Moravia he set up a branch in Prague in Dělostřelecká Street No. 11/No. 585. Originally, he ran the Prague branch himself, until he was replaced by Hans Günther. Egon Ervín Kisch (1886-1948) lived in U laboratoře Street No. 22/No. 538 after his return from exile.The villa belonged to his classmate Fischer who was the only member of his family to survive Hübschmann’s Villa

S – 42 – 2. Střešovice Municipal Transport Museum Municipal Transport Museum

– 43 – Walks through Prague 6 – Part 2 a concentration camp. The house was confiscated by the Germans as Jewish property and Adolf Eichmann lived on the first floor during the war. Paradoxically, Kisch was therefore a neighbour of Eichmann’s brother in-law, Karel Lukáš, who lived there until 1953 until he was given an even larger apartment as an employee of the Ministry of Defence! This all took place at the time of the court processes, which Kisch’s wife Gisela only survived by a miracle. Egon Ervín Kisch (1885-1948) was a writer and journalist. He was born in the Old Town of Prague in Melantrichova Street. His ancestors fled the Inquisition in Spain and settled near Karlovy Vary in a municipality called Chyše. This is where the surname Kisch originates as his mother was from the family of Rabbi Loew.The family was among those assimilated though and Kisch only became aware of his Jew- ish roots after the rise of Hitler. He spent World War II in exile, and returned to Prague after the war. He died a month after the Communist coup in Czechoslovakia (he is buried in the columbarium in Strašnice, alongside his wife Gisl, not in the Jewish cemetery). The “Furious reporter” claimed that he had an interesting experience with his Jewish nationality. “I come from Prague, I’m a Jew, I’m a Communist and I’m from a good family – some of it always helped me.” There is another interesting villa in the same street.It was built by the architect J.Rössler according to his own design (U Laboratoře No. 18/No. 552). Střešovice Tram Depot – Municipal Transport Museum The tram depot in Prague-Střešovice houses a unique exhibition entitled Prague Public Trans- port Museum, which was opened to the public in 1993. The core of the collections had already been created in 1929 when the former horse tram car, which had run through Prague since 1875, was assigned to the museum.The number of historic cars continued to rise, especially in connec- tion with the replacement of public transport vehicles.The depot itself,built in 1909,and housing a collection of 50 vintage cars and 34 other collection exhibits was declared a cultural monument in 1998. The exhibition also includes an exposition of municipal transport history. The museum also offers other attractions such as a historic tram ride around Prague on weekends in the tourist season which is also available on request during the rest of the year. Another interesting villa is located just below the depot. The businessman and industrialist Ed- mund Traub (mentioned earlier) had a Functionalist villa built in Střešovice in Pod hradbami Street No. 17/No. 658 in 1928. He invited the then well-known Berlin architect Bruno Paul to build a large Functionalist building on some rather complicated land which he had to have Municipal Transport Museum

S – 44 – 2. Střešovice Pod hradbami Street Traub’s Villa

– 45 – Walks through Prague 6 – Part 2 backfilled.The house is two-storey and met the high demands for living and prestige.The Jewish owners returned from exile after the war but were soon forced to leave the country again. The confiscated house was then used for the diplomatic service and currently it houses the Hungarian Embassy. The home of the architect Bohumil Kozák from 1928 is located in Pod hradbami Street No. 8/No. 656. A short distance up the street, in Dělostřelecká No. 1/No. 654, is the villa which was bought by the former president Václav Havel (1936-2011). # Václav Havel’s Villa

V – 46 – 3.Veleslavín

– 47 – Walks through Prague 6 – Part 2 V 3. Veleslavín The name of the municipality, which first appears in connection with the founding of the Břevnov Monastery,is probably derived from the name Veleslav.An interesting fact from a much older time is that Veleslavín is regarded an important archaeological site. The oldest known Slavic ceramics, the Veleslavín type, dating from the time of the arrival of the Slavs, i.e. from the 6th century, were discovered there. Štěpán Adam of Veleslavín farmed the land there in the 16th century. He was the father of the famous book printer Daniel Adam of Veleslavín who took over a major printing works in Prague in what was then called Sirková – today called Melantrichova – Street after his father-in-law. Daniel Adam is commemorated by a monument from the early 20th century by the sculptor Antonín Procházka in U Sadu Street. Daniel Adam of Veleslavín (1546-1599) became a history professor after his studies at Charles University. However, the university was a religious institution with the regulation of celibacy, so as a professor he could not get married. There- fore, he left the University and married the daughter of the book printer Jiří Melantrich of Aventino. He managed the printing works after his father-in-law’s death. Books from all fields of science, translations and textbooks, medical books, book on herbs,etc.were published there.The Czech books par- ticularly were written in a beautiful Czech language which later became the model for Revivalists. After his death the printing works were managed by his son Samuel although he had to emigrate because of his religious beliefs after the Battle of White Mountain. As a result, the confiscated equipment of the famous printing works became Jesuit property and was consequently moved to Klementinum. Zámek Veleslavín Monument of Daniel Adam of Veleslavín

V – 48 – 3.Veleslavín Veleslavín Chateau

– 49 – Walks through Prague 6 – Part 2 Another court in Veleslavín belonged to the Italian architect Oldřich Avostalis (Ulrico Aostallis de Sala) who was appointed“Master Mason of Prague Castle”and the head of the Castle’s building office in 1567.He designed the chapel over the tomb of St.Adalbert in front of the unfinished cathedral and other buildings from the Renaissance and Mannerism period in Prague and beyond. The Italian who settled in Prague and used a Czech version of his name,OldřichAvostalis (1525-1597),came from a large family whose members moved to Bohemia to work around the mid-16th century. He gradually worked his way up to become one of the most skilful and popular builders of his time. Moreover, he was also an able organizer and proved to be an excellent businessman – he often speculated with houses for his compatriots in the Italian district of the Lesser Quarter. He not only re-invested the money earned but also lent it and in addition he also used to buy rural manors. In addition to Veleslavín he owned another homestead in Lysá nad Labem. Considering all of these activities, one cannot be surprised with the way he died - he was allegedly robbed and murdered by his foreman. His grave can be found in St.Thomas’ Church in the Lesser Quarter. Chateau, Veleslavínská No. 30/No. 1 The local chateau was built in the 18th century and Kilián Ignác Dientzenhofer is sometimes consid- ered to be the builder.An institute for the mentally ill resided in the chateau in the early 20th century, which was a private sanatorium, managed and owned by the professors of psychiatry of the German University,Oskar Fischer and Leo Kosák.Charlotte Masaryk (wife of President Masaryk) and later Milena Jesenská (journalist and friend of Franz Kafka) were among the patients. Due to the Jewish origin of both doctors,the sanatorium was “Aryanised”during the Nazi occupation but remained to serve its original purpose,even after the war.The chateau was later used as a lung san- atorium and has been a part of the Charles University School Hospital through to the present day. Veleslavín Chateau

V – 50 – 3.Veleslavín In the same street there is still a remnant of another court (No. 14) with a granary (No. 26), now converted into apartments. Charlotte Garrigue Masaryk (1850-1923) was not able to enjoy the role of the new state’s first lady much. The period of the First World War was particularly hard on her - her son Jan had to enlist, Herbert died (1915),Alice was imprisoned and her husband and another daughter Olga were in exile.It was no surprise to anyone that she had a break down. Milena Jesenská (1896-1944 Ravensbrück concentration camp) was in the local sanatorium for another reason. She was administered morphine for rheumatic pain and was treated for her dependence on the opiate. She was a prominent Czech writer, journalist and translator and also known as a friend of Franz Kafka.After the German occupation she joined the resistance movement and aided the emigration of Jewish families.The Yad Vashem Institute posthumously awarded her the title “Righteous Among Nations.” The mid-16th century water station (from the period of the construction of the Hvězda summer palace) which supplied part of the Castle water is an interesting feature of the municipality (U Sadu Street). There is a cemetery on the border of Veleslavín and Vokovice, which serves the residents of the ad- jacent communities.The fighting at the end of World War II took place in Vokovice, which is why the cemetery is also a military cemetery. The cemetery also contains the grave of one of the most important personalities of Slavic science – Mathias Murko. Water station building

– 51 – Walks through Prague 6 – Part 2 Matija Murko (Mathias Murko, 1861-1952) was a Slovene historian. He studied German and Slavic studies in Vienna, and was also engaged in philosophy, linguistics and pedagogy. For several years he worked in Moscow, then in Graz and Leipzig. In 1920 he accepted a position at Charles University in Prague and became one of the founders of the Institute of Slavonic Studies. It is said of him that he was one of the last “Renaissance” generation of Slavic scholars who were extremely knowledgeable in the field. Not far from the cemetery stands theVokovicetram depot which was put into operation in 1933 with 30 sidings, which at that time was the largest number in Prague. Until 1992, the historic cars which are now in the Střešovice museum,were also located there. The border between Veleslavín and Vokovice is now formed by Evropská Avenue that continues to Václav Havel Airport. Railroads played an important role at the time when industry began to assert itself in the suburban municipalities.First of all there was the Buštěhrad horse-drawn tram track lead- ing to Lány which was later replaced by a steam railway.Then at that time – in 1863 – the Veleslavín station, today Prague-Veleslavín, was built on this railway.The original tram line in Kladenská Street leads on to it. Several businesses, such as a small ceramic tile factory, were founded there because of the easy ac- cess to transportation. A part of the premises was used for the purposes of the Radio andTelevision Research Institute in the 1960’s.Today – in the digital age – it’s kind of funny, but colour broadcast Vokovice tram depot

V – 52 – 3.Veleslavín Veleslavín station Evropská Street

– 53 – Walks through Prague 6 – Part 2 technologies were studied there at that time, among others. In principle, there were two options – the PAL and SECAM systems – then,and as usual,politics played a significant role.The PAL co- lour standard was used by most Western European countries and SECAM was used in the Eastern bloc,although in the spring of 1967 the Institute favoured the PAL system,which was used for the very first time to broadcast the Winter Olympics in colour (February 1967, Grenoble). However when the “fraternal assistance” arrived (Warsaw pact armies invasion) in 1968, even television had to conform. The so called “Vokovice Sorbonne” (José Martí Street No. 31/No. 269) used to be located further down the street. It was founded in 1953 as the University of the Central Political Committee of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia (also known in Czech as VUML, and even though the name changed several times, the content remained the same). The graduates were even awarded a degree with the title of RSDr (Doctor of socio-political science), which was generally regarded by many Czechs as meaning “doctor of your own party.”The school was equipped with rather modern amenities for that time and many communists from “friendly countries”studied there. The buildings are now used by the Faculty of Physical Education and Sports of Charles University. The other parts are used as the central garages of the Ministry of the Interior, while past history is commemorated by the local Labour Movement Museum. #

V – 54 – 4.Vokovice

– 55 – Walks through Prague 6 – Part 2 V 4. Vokovice Vokovice was originally called Okovice. Although archaeological findings suggest the existence of an interesting prehistoric settlement in this area, historical accounts of the municipality only come from the second half of the 14th century. The Vokovice manor court was owned by the St. Vitus Chapter and in addition there were several farmhouses already there in the 14th century.The church in Vokovice, like elsewhere, had lost its property during the Hussite wars but this was returned in the mid-16th century. Several burghers’ vineyards are mentioned from that time. In the early 17th century, twelve subject homesteads, a forge and of course, a pub were listed.The village was not af- fected to a significant extent by the later wars, unlike nearby Břevnov and Střešovice, so Vokovice had a relatively quiet life as a predominantly agricultural community.This began to change during the 19th century. In the 1820’s an extensive geological survey was conducted in the area (after the discovery of coal and iron ore in Kladno), the first bores (1820) were made in the area between Vokovice and Ve- leslavín. The end result was a whole group of iron ore mines in Vokovice, particularly in the area above Háj and in Červený vrch. Most of the mines were established prior to 1860; some disap- peared very soon again, while others continued until the mid-1930’s. Loess was also important for the development of local industry and was dug out for use in the local brickworks.Along with this develop- ment, agricultural production began to wind down and many of the older farmers sold their homesteads and new residents arrived in the village who were looking for work. In 1843, there were 153 people, and 11 years later Vokovice had 183 inhabitants.In the 1880’s it made sense for the municipality to build its own school. Surprisingly, the centre of the former municipality and the former village square with a small chapel still remain today despite all these changes. The chapel was built around 1800 on a square ground-plan and is complet- ed by a small bell tower. Several original farm houses, mostly from the late 18th and early 19th century are lo- cated in the vicinity, although these have been more or less rebuilt. Small chapel with a bell tower

V – 56 – 4.Vokovice This area is now largely occupied by the “Vokovice Court” residence which offers housing in a heritage protected complex. There are houses from the restored historic centre of Vokovice here, such as the oldest house at No.14 and the Neo-Renaissance villa built in 1902 at No.54; the centre includes a large restored English style park with a tennis court and a pond with a fountain. The wooded hill of Šárka rises above this part of Vokovice and was the site of one of the oldest Slavic fortified settlements on the territory of what would become Prague, and is associated with the tale of Šárka and Ctirad. The Šárka fortified settlement has been a national cultural monument since 1995. It is an area that has been inhabited since prehistoric times,and was probably already in use by the time of the arrival of the Slavs in the 6th century.The large fortified settlement particularly flourished in the 7th and 8th centuries,its importance then later declined until the end of the 9th century when the settlement disappeared.This was probably related to the growing importance of the Prague Castle area and the related shift in the centre of power. Further changes occurred in Vokovice along with its connection to Prague in 1922 although it only really expanded after construction of the Červený vrch housing estate and the sports facilities by Džbán Dam. Given that the cadastre territory of Vokovice also includes the “Divoká Šárka”area, a large part of the district is formed by a natural reserve. Džbán Dam, completed in 1968, is a natural swimming pool with sports facilities, a nudist beach and a nearby camp. It is the second largest natural swimming pool in Prague after Hostivař Dam, with an area of 18 ha, which was created by damming the Litovický Stream, which changes its name to Šárecký once below the dam. Vokovice Court

– 57 – Walks through Prague 6 – Part 2 Nové Vokovice, which was predominantly developed in the first half of the 20th century, is located north of Evropská Avenue near Prague-Veleslavín station. A large Art nouveau school building stands in the southern part of Nové Vokovice. From the north, Nové Vokovice is adjoined by the large premises of the Aritma company (a high rise building), and by the Aritma Sports Club from the west (Ke dvoru Street No.5/No.672).The original plant called Aritma was founded in 1940 but was only developed after World War II. The Artima national enterprise was engaged in research and manufacturing of computer equipment, known as punch-card computers. Džbán Dam Panorama of Vokovice

V – 58 – 4.Vokovice Červený Vrch Housing Estate The “panel block” housing estate “Červený vrch” is now located on both sides of Evropská Street in the eastern part of Vokovice.It was built in 1960-1972 by K.Jarolím,the chief architect and was named after Red Hill (327 m).The name is derived from the colour of the iron-rich soil and dates back to at least the 17th century. A part with small family villas adjoins the housing estate.The area is encircled by Půlkruhová Street, where the streets are named after Alfred Nobel and some of the Nobel Prize laureates, such as Suttnerové Street (she was born in Kinsky Palace in the Old Town Square and was the first the Nobel Peace Prize Laureate) and the Corie couple (there is a plaque in Salmovská and Petrská Street, for the Nobel Prize for Medicine).The streets in the panel housing estate across the road bear the names of African and Middle East countries. By the way – one scene from the Czech film “I enjoy the world with you” was filmed in Půlkruhová Street in the house of the actress Jana Šulcová.The film was directed by Marie Poledňáková and was voted as the best Czech comedy of the 20th century.The final scene was filmed just around the corner in another Vokovice street, Na Krutci. The Art School of Charlotte Masaryk is at the other end of Půlkruhová Street (No. 42/No. 99) in one of the recently renovated charming villas. The school teaches three disciplines – dance, music and visual arts. The other part of the school is closer to the main street, in Vokovická Street No. 42/No. 99). Červený Vrch Housing Estate

– 59 – Walks through Prague 6 – Part 2 Šárka Valley

V – 60 – 4.Vokovice In connection with the establishment of the new settlement,the access route also had to be changed. Today we cannot even imagine that until 1967 the tram only ran from Bořislavka along Kladenská Street to the Veleslavín Station and then to the Vokovice depot. First one tram track was moved and in November 1967, the trams were tested on the double track along the street we now call Evropská (formerly Lenin). As it was necessary to serve a large number of new residents, another tram loop was built on Červený vrch. One of the stations on the new Prague Metro V.A line will open there in 2014. Šárka-Lysolaje Natural Park The whole North-Western part of the municipalities that form Prague 6 – from Podbaba all the way to the airport – is surrounded by a more or less uniform green belt,called Šárka or ŠárkaValley. Away from the Vltava River, a road passes through Podbaba before forking off in two directions – one leads to Lysolaje and the other – called “V Šáreckém údolí” – runs against the flow of the Šárecký Stream to the area above the Petřiny housing estate. An area of 1,005 ha was declared as Prague Natural Park Šárka – Lysolaje in 1990. It stretches to the cadastre territories of Dejvice, Liboc,Ruzyně,Vokovice,Nebušice and Lysolaje.Therefore,the protected land is divided into eight smaller protected areas which connect: Baba, Divoká Šárka, Dolní Šárka, Housle, Jenerálka, Nad Mlýnem,Vizerka and Zlatnice. There are also a number of heritage protected buildings and other historically and culturally inter- esting places. Several well-marked hiking trails lead through the natural park and municipal buses also run through the park. A stream named Litovicko-Šárecký flows through the valley. The first section of the stream – LitovickýStream – springs up in a grove near Chýně,and continues through Litovický pond to Prague Ruzyně territory,before going underground for a while before resurfacing Šárka Natural Park

– 61 – Walks through Prague 6 – Part 2 by the Hvězda Summer Palace.It flows through Liboc around the Veleslavín station into the Džbán Dam.From there it flows as the Šárecký Stream and joins the Vltava River in Podbaba.Both streams have a total length of just over 21 km.The entire protected area is probably the best preserved natural area in Prague despite the fact that people have lived there since prehistoric times. The protected area on the Dejvice cadastre stretches all the way to the inhabited localities; on the other side it flows into the wild countryside.The natural monument called Baba has already been discussed in the first part of the publication. In terms of nature protection, it is one of the richest habitats for insects in all of Prague. A smaller section of the protected area is located above the former Baroque homestead called Zlat- nice and presents an interesting landscape feature named after the estate. A number of mills used to stand in Šárka Valley but most have been rebuilt and they haven’t served their original purpose for a long time.Such an example is the Little Mill,“Malý mlýn”(V Šáreckém údolí No.17/No.44),which wasn’t,surprising- ly, named “little” due to its size but because of the surname of its former owner, Pavel Malý – “Little”. Due to the lack of water it stopped working in the mid-19th century. The homestead standing opposite with the en- dearing name of Žežulka (No. 42/No. 79) was also rebuilt. Three vineyards used to be origi- nally located on the land, which in 1600 came into the possession of a citizen of Prague’s New Žežulka Little Mill

V – 62 – 4.Vokovice Town, Jacob Žežule. The land was divided up in the 19th century and the homestead served as a holiday tavern. Another of the local farms called Duchoňská (No. 19/No. 45) was replaced in the early 20th century by a villa called Emilka. The residential house called Na Mlýnku (No. 25/ No.85) was created by converting a former mill on the territory of Heřmanův dvůr. The mill operated until the 20th century, and there also used to be a holiday tavern there. The original vineyard estate (No. 32/No. 76) is called “Okolka” after one of the owners from the mid-17th century. At that time it was bought by Judge Vilém Jindřich, Knight Odkolek from Újezdec, and converted into a summer residence. In the following period, the owners constantly changed and adapted the building to their needs. There were also vineyards in the place of an- other homestead called Purkrábka (No.36/No. 77). The owners constantly changed there too, Heřmanův dvůr gate Šatovka

– 63 – Walks through Prague 6 – Part 2 but the superior landlord and later also the permanent owner, was the highest Burgrave’s office. In the 19th century the manor was rebuilt and it has been used for housing ever since.The contempo- rary villa bears the former name. The former homestead called Velingrová (No. 40/No. 78) also serves for residential purposes. The distorted name comes from the owners from the late 17th century – Marie Eleanora who was mar- ried to Jan Jiří of Wendligen (Wendlinger). The Highest Burgrave’s office owned a few more vineyards there in the 16th century. In 1642 the property was purchased by a saltpeter manufacturer from the OldTown,Matyáš Erl,and the home- stead took its name after his profession (in Czech sanytrovník,hence Sanytrovka) (No.56/No.80). Nevertheless he also had to pay the appropriate fees and taxes to the Burgrave’s office. In the early 20th century, the building was converted into a villa. The large mansion called Šatovka (No. 74/No. 81) was built on the site of the vineyards and farm which were bought by a wealthy tailor from the Lesser Quarter, Jan Křtitel de Chateau in 1673. In the mid-19th century there was also a holiday tavern with an extensive garden there. A homestead originally called Maxmiliánka – today Rakařka (No. 76/No. 82) was located at the site of two more Burgrave’s vineyards. A swimming pool was built near the present house in 1935. The Neo-Renaissance villa Zuzanka (No. 78) stands on the premises of the former estate called Žitná.The villa was built in the late 19th century by the owner of Žitná, senior engineer František Mráz (hence the name Mrázovka). The old farmhouse building was also preserved and it was re- constructed and converted for housing purposes. Heřmanův dvůr (No. 82/No. 84) was formed by merging ten small vineyards around 1600. At the end of the 17th century the land with the buildings, a mill and a small hop field was bought by the brewer Jiří Antonín Bořek. However, the current name, the explanation of which is not very clear, started to take hold just at that time.The entire complex consists of several extant Baroque build- ings with a gate. Zuzanka

V – 64 – 4.Vokovice The Zaporecký mill (No. 100/No. 55), which today serves as a residential building, operated as a mill in the mid-16th century and bears the name of one of the owners.The nearby bus stop “Kalinův mlýn”reminds us of the miller of the Kalina family who owned it from 1844 until World War II. A natural monument called Nad Mlýnem with an area of less than 4 ha borders this building from the north. Another popular holiday tavern (Pod mlýnkem No.17/No.162),built by Jan Kaplan,used to stand on the opposite side, closer to Dejvice, until 1959. Today “Kaplanka” is used for residential pur- poses. The Krutecký Stream can be seen when going from the Červený vrch housing estate along Horoměřická Street and it flows through the protected area of Jenerálka, on the left. The reason for the protection is a rocky ridge with a specific microclimate facing in all directions. Traces of a prehistoric settlement were found there. Evidence of past attempts at mining iron ore can also be found there.In terms of cadastre division,it is interesting that the boundary between the territories of Dejvice and Vokovice is formed by the Krutecký Stream. The name of the area comes from “Jenerálka” (U Vizerky No.2308),which is now a mansion rather than a homestead although there were originally vineyards here as well.The area used to fall under the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Strahov Monastery and it was administered by the Vicar Gener- al of the Premonstratensian Order.Hence the popular name of the settlement,which has remained up to today.The whole premises are formed by a complex of several buildings surrounding a court- yard. The centre is formed by a Baroque chateau, used for housing since the 19th century. During Jenerálka

– 65 – Walks through Prague 6 – Part 2 the inter-war period the complex was adapted for the Czechoslovak Legionaries’Home, and then it was taken over by the Nazis. After the assassination of Heydrich an orphanage for the children of the executed (“Kinderheim” in German) was established here. In April 1944, however,the children were moved to an intern- ment camp in Svatobořice in Moravia because imprisoned politicians were to be interned in Prague on the orders of K.H. Frank. Today it houses the Baptist Church and the Interna- tional Baptist Theological Seminary with a dormitory. Jenerálka must also be mentioned in connection with an interesting 19thcentury painter who lived and died here. August Friedrich (Bedřich) Piepenhagen (1791-1868) was born in Prussia but his journeyman’s travels took him to Prague in 1811 and he stayed here. He was originally a but- toner but eventually started making a living from his hobby – painting. He was married in Prague Kalina‘s mill Čertův mill

V – 66 – 4.Vokovice and fathered four daughters.Two of these – Louisa and Charlotte – were also painters. It was at the time of Romanticism when a romantic vision of the landscape (painted exclusively in studios) became fashion- able. The Baroque church of St.Jan vTrníčku with a former old cemetery for the deceased from the sur- rounding villages stands on the opposite side of Horoměřická Street across from Jenerálka. Another one of Šárka mills is located a bit further on.The Dubový mill (K Dubovému mlýnu No. 4/No. 2304, bus stop “Korek” in V Šáreckém údolí Street) was mentioned in the 16th century.The land which used to belong to the Strahov Premonstratensian Order was quite extensive,reaching all the way to Jenerálka.It is mainly of interest to us because the miller’s family of Myslivečeks worked there for one century (in 1688; the famous Czech music composer Josef Mysliveček was born in a Prague Old Town mill at Novotného lávka, where a commemorative plaque is placed). The mill stopped operating in the mid-19th century,and was then used by several production facilities.Today, the building has been converted into a villa. Other objects of interest can also be found in Divoká Šárka although it falls under another land register. # Na Džbánu swimming pool under the Dívčí skok rock formation