WALKS THROUGH PRAGUE 6 - PART 3

Liboc • Ruzyně Liboc • Ruzyně Part 3 Part 3 WALKS WALKS THROUGH THROUGH PRAGUE 6 PRAGUE 6

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Liboc • Ruzyně Part 3 Walks through Prague6

– 4 – Walks through Prague 6 Part 3 English version Publisher: Ondřej Rolínek, Ječná 28, Praha 2 Print: Akontext s.r.o. Original text: PhDr. Jiřina Chrastilová Editing, graphics: Karla Šmídová 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 3 L 1. Liboc The village, whose name is most likely derived from a personal name, was first documented in the 12th century and its former centre was located close to the intersection of Libocká Street and Litovický Stream. Later, when the parish church was built, the centre moved to the site of the current village square. Liboc has two parts – Upper Liboc, which was the property of the Břevnov Monastery where the Hvězda Game Preserve is located, and Lower Liboc which forms the larger part of the village.The whole of Liboc became part of Prague in 1922. Part of the Divoká Šárka natural preserve is also located on the territory of Liboc. View of Liboc – Church of St. Fabian and Sebastian

L – 8 – 1. Liboc Upper Liboc was established in the late 18th century,on the grounds belonging to Břevnov Monas- tery and was originally known by the unusual name of Rebečev.This was said to be derived from an inn that used to stand by the land road and was allegedly owned by a Jewess by the name of Rebecca. The settlement was connected to Liboc at the end of the 18th century and named Upper Liboc, which was a small village comprised of just 26 houses.The combined Liboc had a total of 1292 in- habitants in 1900,a large part of which were workers – either employed in a cottage industry (where they mainly produced chains) or working in brickyards, quarries, in the sugar refinery in Ruzyně or as builders. Many of the people were also employed by the chocolate factory in Veleslavín. The name of the village is slightly problematic because there is another is another name as well. In this case, the name would probably not be derived from a personal name,as is commonly stated,but from the character of the area, possibly a deep forest. The Buštěhrad Railway also leads through this community although the local railway stop was cancelled in 1984. Not many of the historical buildings have survived due to the large-scale demolition of the old farmhouses in the 1970’s that were replaced by new tene- ment blocks and the Na Dědině housing es- tate. New developments continue to be built up to the present day. View of Liboc Liboc – new development

– 9 – Walks through Prague 6 – Part 3 The Litovický Stream mentioned in the last volume also flows through the municipality, although its name changes to Šárecký when it reaches the Džbán dam. The stream’s spring originates outside of Prague – near the village of Chýně – then flows through the ponds around Hostivice and reaches Ruzyně prior to the Jiviny retention tank, where it flows into Liboc and feeds Libocký Pond.A stream used to flow through the open Imperial Ditch under the current railway to Veleslavín, which in the past continued to Střešovice. A large part of this stream was directed into pipes under Prague during the previous regime, although where possible, these pipes are currently being gradually removed. The Litovický- Šárecký Stream, which is approximately 20 km long with its local tributaries, empties into the Vltava River (the river basin of approximately 62 km2). The Jiviny retention tank was built on the stream from 1980 to 1984 (there is another dam further upstream called Strnad). This included an extensive network of rainwater sewers and the Dědina – Jiviny settling tanks. After the first purification the water flows from the settling tanks into the retention tank. The tank serves as a flood control measure for the adjacent municipalities and for all settle- ments along the entire flow of the Litovický- Šárecký Stream.The dam – 5.5 meters high and 288 meters long – was recently repaired and reinforced as a result of the latest Prague floods. The 90,000 m2 of water surface has Libocký Pond Litovický Stream

L – 10 – 1. Liboc become a favourite nesting site for birds over time,and now it contains various species of aquatic snails and amphibians.The tank is also used by fishermen and fish farmers. The early history of Prague shows a deep forest called Malejov intersected by a road that stretched into the distance from Strahov Monastery.The Benedictine monastery in Břevnov was built by this road in 993.The local Benedictines began clearing the forest although the part that reaches modern day Liboc remains preserved.It was also a good place to establish a game preserve,so Ferdinand I bought this part of the forest from the Břevnov Monastery after his accession to the Czech throne in 1526, and built an enclosure wall. Two access gates – Břevnovská and Libocká – were built over the following years (the third gate, Svatomarkétská, was built in 1723). A fish pond, waterholes for wildlife, a well with an arched canopy,a kitchen and the game preserve keeper‘s house were built there.The son of the Emperor, Ferdinand of Tyrol, built a summer palace in the centre of the preserve in 1555-1556 using his own design. The Summer Palace is separated from the surrounding countryside by its own enclosure wall with modern relief decoration depicting significant personalities from the Hussite movement (from the inside). A sculpture of a Hussite woman from 1959 by Jan Jiříkovský is located on the right from the entrance by the wall, which evokes the theme of the post-war exhibition on the premises. A memorial to Jan Roháč of Dubá is located in the preserve (near the entrance from Libocká Street).The former ball-games room – apparently an equivalent of the “Míčovna”in the Royal Garden – has unfortunately not been preserved. The Star Summer Palace (Hvězda) takes its name from its ground plan.The foundation stone of the Summer Palace was laid with the participation of Ferdinand of Tyrol in June 1555. The son of the ruler and later the Governor of Tyrol, is believed to have designed this unusual building and its layout. A natural playground in front of the Star Summer Palace

– 11 – Walks through Prague 6 – Part 3 It is said that he wanted it to be a match to his father who had the Royal Summer House built in the gardens of Prague Castle for his wife,Anna Jagellonica. Some well-known master build- ers were involved in the construction of the Star Summer Palace: Giovanni Maria Aostalli, Hans Tirol, Bonifác Wohlmut and Giovanni Luccese. The construction went up fairly quickly although it is still not completely clear whether the roof was completed according to the original project before the builder left for Innsbruck.The pointed pyramid-shaped copper roof was probably already in place in the early 17th century but it was ap- parently taken away by the Swedes as war booty at the end of the Thirty Years’ War. The original appearance has only been preserved on period engravings because in the later centuries the roof was steadily reduced up to its present mid-19th century form. FerdinandofTyrol(1529-1595) was the second son of Ferdinand I and Anna Jagellonica who served as Governor of Bohemia for many years and is also Ferdinand of Tyrol Star Summer Palace

L – 12 – 1. Liboc The Star Game Preserve plan Land mark

– 13 – Walks through Prague 6 – Part 3 Statue of a Hussite woman

L – 14 – 1. Liboc known for his morganatic marriage with Philippine Welser (1527-1580). This prevented his eventual ac- cession to the throne and therefore he was later placed as Governor of Tyrol. His wife was an excellent cook and healer and a number of her recipes, some of which are still used today, were published in the book “A Merchant’s Daughter in the House of Habsburg”. Her advice against toothache:“The best thing is to pull the tooth, and timely, because another one will catch rot from the first” has probably been the most effective over time. The symbolic form of the Summer Palace is a hexagonal shaped ground plan – a six-pointed star symbolizing the mutual harmony of two opposing forces and their unity by connecting two triangles. In addition, the star is a symbol of the Marian cult.The four levels of the building also represent the four elements – earth is symbolized by the underground, water by the ground level, air by the first floor and fire by the second floor.All floors are connected by two separate staircases – the main stair- case in one of the tips of the star, and a small, hidden spindle-shaped staircase for the servants. Each floor has a slightly different layout; in the basement is a circular corridor, while on the ground floor are walk-through rooms along the perimeter, and there is a central area with access to each area with fireplaces on the first floor.There is a large central area with an extension into the tips of the star on the second floor. The underground area originally housed the kitchen (it was later moved to a separate building) and a wine cellar.Today, the purely whitewashed space exhibits a model of the Battle of White Mountain. The most opulently decorated area is on the ground floor, which has twelve sides. The ceiling is divided into 334 reliefs decorated with delicate lace stucco depicting scenes connecting the ancient An attempt to reverse the situation by young Anhalt’s cavalry and the flight of the Hungarians

– 15 – Walks through Prague 6 – Part 3 Entrance into the Star Summer Palace Decorated ceiling

L – 16 – 1. Liboc world to the Italian Renaissance (Antonio Brocco). There are scenes from ancient mythol- ogy which correspond to the efforts of the Habsburg dynasty to prove the continuity of their lineage to the ancient heroes. Furthermore, there are symbols of the then known planets – al- though these are also dedicated to important alchemical elements.In the central relief is a scene with Aeneas and six images representing heroism and virtue – also drawn from ancient myths and history. The interior houses an exhibition dedicated to the history of the Summer Palace and the time it was built.There is also a section explaining the use of symbolism in the building in the con- text of alchemy and the Freemasons. The first floor is used for occasional exhibitions. There is also a note reminding us that the building is now owned by the Museum of Czech Literature. This institute has previously hosted long-term exhibitions on Mikoláš Aleš and Alois Jirásek following the post-war re- construction by Pavel Janák. After costly restoration of the building, the newly prepared local exhibitions were opened to the public in 2000. The military history of the Summer Palace is suggested by graffiti left by the accommodated soldiers, which has also been restored and now “decorates the walls.”The terrazzo flooring has been restored according to the surviving parts of this floor. This also applies to the second floor where the original glazed tiles have only been partially preserved in the corners of the former banquet hall.The hall is now used for social events and is available for hire. The adjacent garden and the preserve were designed as a continuation of the building. The garden uses flowers and fruit as period symbolism to show the world of humans. Star Summer Palace

– 17 – Walks through Prague 6 – Part 3 A view of the Star Game Preserve A view of the nature area of the game preserve

L – 18 – 1. Liboc Playground in the Star Game PreservePreserve Sports and weddings in the preserve Plants and animals in the preserve

– 19 – Walks through Prague 6 – Part 3 The game preserve by the Star Summer Palace, called Hvězda as well, was originally used for royal hunts (like the Royal Game Park in Bubeneč).Various festivals were also held in the game preserve, e.g.in 1610 during the reign of Rudolph II, followed by his successor, Matthias,who briefly stayed there and in 1619 Frederic I, Elector Palatinate – the elected Czech King (known as the Winter King) – was ceremoniously greeted there. The unfortunate battle known as the Battle of White Mountain in which the Czech estates uprising was defeated and which determined the future development of the state for centuries, took place not far from its walls on 8 November 1620.The “Hvězda” was also to witness more spectacular events in later years – in 1637 a banquet was orga- nized there by Ferdinand III, and several imperial hunts also took place there. However, its glory began to fade around 1740. First, the Bavarian army of King Albrecht settled there and killed all the game and cut down the trees (presumably for wood to roast venison), followed by the military, who also used the severely damaged game preserve. The Prussian army also camped there during the Austro-Prussian War (the graves of Prussian soldiers were found there in 1938).The decision of Joseph II to locate a gunpowder store in the Summer Palace, which was finally abolished in 1874, was the final blow. The first known ground plan view of the game preserve is shown on the plan from 1723, which also captures the route of the royal water conduit, although by then the trees had been cut down by the Prussian army. At the end of the 18th century the game preserve was removed from military administration (except the Summer Palace) and trees were replanted. The game preserve slowly became a visitor destination and was opened to the public. The St. Margaret Pilgrimages used to be held here but these were soon banned because of their noisy and unrestrained nature (see Volume 2). A trail in the Star Game PreservePreserve

L – 20 – 1. Liboc „Světlička“

– 21 – Walks through Prague 6 – Part 3 The whole area was reconstructed and restored during the First Republic although negotiations were dif- ficult and it was proposed to change the game preserve into an entertainment centre.This plan did not see the light of day in the end,among other reasons because of the fact that replanting the forest was cheaper than financing a tourist resort.Sunday summer concerts are held in front of the Summer Palace. Fate then took another turn – the army once again took a fancy to the game preserve and it was used for the mobilization of the Czechoslovak troops after the MunichTreaty,before being taken over by the SS and eventually by the liberator armies – the Russian army,the Czech soldiers from the British Army and eventually the soldiers of General Svoboda.The post-war modification was according to the design of the Castle architect, Pavel Janák, and followed the plan that had been started before the war. One further point of interest – by the time of the national revival in 1848, Hvězda had become a destination for patriotic trips and people would visit it in their carriages,while it also became a literary topic.For example, the pilgrimage was described by the playwright Josef Kajetán Tyl, and the writer Božena Němcová took a trip to this memorial site with the young poet Václav Bolemír Nebeský. His poem was then published by Karel Havlíček Borovský in the Česká včela magazine. Today,almost the entire game preserve has been forested again,and visitors can even find some unique old oaks and beeches (about forty) which miraculously survived the rampaging soldiers. The trees mostly provide shelter for birds – 46 different species have been counted. The park is also home to foxes, martens and weasels. A 4 km nature trail leads through the game preserve and the route has 13 stops. In 2004, a valuable part of the wetlands around the fish pond behind the Summer Palace was restored and there is also a small Functionalist well- house called Světlička in the park. Rest area in the Hvězda Game Preserve

L – 22 – 1. Liboc St. Fabian and Sebastian Church

– 23 – Walks through Prague 6 – Part 3 The detached building of the former kitchen stands near the Summer Palace. This has also recently undergone restoration and today houses a reading room and library. It was opened to the public in 2005 on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the handover of the Jiří Karásek of Lvovice Collection to the Museum of Czech Literature. Jiří Karásek of Lvovice (real name Josef Karásek, 1871-1951) began to use the noble epithet when he started writing. He lived a secluded life as a bachelor and hardly ever left Prague. He devoted himself to literary work and collecting. As he worked as a postal clerk, his income was small although being such a devoted collector meant that everything else was secondary to his passion. His collection included almost 40,000 objects (graph- ics, bookplates, posters, oil paintings, drawings, sculptures etc.) and 50,000 books. He continued to develop his collection from the late 19th century and had always intended to donate it to the nation from the very begin- ning.In 1922 he donated his collection to the Czechoslovak Sokol Association (on the condition that they would continue to care for it) – and the collection was opened to the public in Tyrš’ House in 1925. After World War II the entire collection was transferred to the Museum of Czech Literature although the first major exhibition did not open until 2001. The Parish Church of St.Fabian and Sebastian stands in the centre of Liboc on an elevated area above the Litovický Stream and its predecessor was first mentioned in the 14th century (although according to archaeological research it dates back to the 12th century).The priests were appointed by the Břevnov Monastery. After the Hussite wars, the monastic estate came into the possession of the Prague Castle Burgrave’s Office and partly to the burghers of the OldTown of Prague.However,apparently at the end of the 16th century it again fell into the hands of the Břevnov Monastery. After the Thirty Years’War, a renewal and Baroque style rebuilding of the Gothic church is mentioned although it became clear over time that it was too small for the grow- ing population.The negotiations for building a new church began in the early 19th century and the foundations for the new church were laid in 1842. Construction moved ahead quickly because the new sanctuary was consecrated in October 1844. However, some additional work continued after that date. The original project design by the architect Thomas Wala was most likely modified by Pietro Nobile. Therefore, the church is contemporarily fur- nished. Only the monumental cross in the centre of the presbytery most likely comes from the original church – it is Baroque,from around 1730. The painting with the theme of both saints – St. Fabian and St. Sebastian, the patrons of the church, is the work of Josef Hellich, while the sculptural decoration was created by Čeněk Vosmík, Ludvík Šimek and others. The Church of St. Fabian and Sebastian

L – 24 – 1. Liboc What is now known as the Imperial Altar was placed in the church in 1898 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the reign of Emperor Franz Joseph. It was changed into an altar for the protection of the Republic in 1927 and then removed completely for good measure in 1952. There are three bells located in the front tower of the church, two of which come from the previous building.One was cast around the mid 15th century so it is late Gothic,the second dates from around 1663.The most recent one – the knell – is from 1949. St. Fabian and St. Sebastian were two of the first martyrs. Fabian was one of the first popes of Rome and was executed during the persecution of Christians in 250. Sebastian was originally an officer in the Imperial Guard and a clandestine Christian. He is depicted with arrows stuck in his body because the Emperor ordered the soldiers to shoot him. He was buried in the catacombs on the Via Appia, and St. Sebastian’s Basilica was later built there. The remains of St. Fabian were also moved there so the saints share the same day on the saints’ calendar (January 20). The area around the church coincides with the former burial ground but after the construction of the new church, the cemetery was moved to the boundary wall of the game preserve. The cemetery served the residents of Liboc, Ruzyně, Vokovice and Veleslavín.Not much of it remains nowadays unfortunately, because it was almost completely destroyed in 1970.Only a few tomb- stones in the former morgue and a cross grown into a tree remain.It is located behind a modern building and a paved alley leads to it. A house with a studio (Libocká 29a/178) was built in 2004-6 (project author: Jan Línek) as a duplex The Church of St. Fabian and Sebastian The niche Chapel of St. John of Nepomuk

– 25 – Walks through Prague 6 – Part 3 building with a minimalist facade that faces Li- bocká. A surprising view then opens up on the other side of the house, which is connected to the garden by the game preserve wall. The recently restored niche Chapel of St. John of Nepomuk is located in the municipality (in the wall by the playground). The Baroque parish house (Libocká 41/5) dates from the 18th century when the Catholic parish was restored.It no longer serves its original pur- pose but is owned by the Carmelite Order who were entrusted with the administration of Liboc parish in 1996.There is also a small cultural cen- tre with the historical name Malejov (opened in 2000). The centre organizes various events for local residents, and houses a Scout troop called the Lost Eagle, as well as the parish library. One of the local priests – Vlastimil Hálek (1868- 1919) was an interesting personality. He was a tireless shepherd of his sheep and cared for them The cemetery in Liboc A tombstone in the old cemetery

L – 26 – 1. Liboc The Baroque parish house in Libocká Street Malejov Cultural Centre – Exhibition

– 27 – Walks through Prague 6 – Part 3 with paternal care.He also published a regular Parish Bulletin for his church and was awarded the Papal Honour “Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice” for his exemplary pastoral work. An original Neo-Renaissance school building (Libocká 43/ 6) from the late 19th century stands next to the parish house. It no longer serves its purpose as today it houses the HolyFamilyHome – a charitable organization helping the disabled (its second building is located at Petřiny in Ul- rychova Street). The Holy Family Home was founded in 1991 with the help of a charity and donations by Sister Akvinela Ludmila Losko- tová of the Congregation of the School Sisters of Notre Dame. A commemorative plaque on the building re- minds us of the fate of one of the school’s former teachers. Jan Zelenka-Hajský (1895-1942) was a teacher Memorial plaque to Jan Zelenka-Hajský Holy Family Home

L – 28 – 1. Liboc and a member of the physical education Sokol As- sociation where he taught children. After the occu- pation of Czechoslovakia by the Nazis he joined the resistance movement (the Jindra resistance group) and also participated in providing shelter for the paratroopers who carried out the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich. He and his son poisoned them- selves as they were being arrested and his wife was executed in Mauthausen. There is another plaque commemorating him in Kodaňská Street and there is also a street bearing his name in Žižkov. Other local residents were involved in the resis- tance against the Nazis, others fought in the May Uprising.The names of the victims of World War II can be found on a memorial in the church of St. Fabian and Sebastian.A Cubist-styled monument from 1920 stands in front of the former school,in turn commemorating the victims of World War I. Libocká Street arches around the church to- wards Evropská Avenue. Other streets, mainly Fabiánova and Šebestiánská,lead out of the small Memorial to the victims of World War I Libocký Pond

– 29 – Walks through Prague 6 – Part 3 square in front of the church (the former village square). Fabiánova Street uses steps to compensate for the raised terrain as it heads straight down to the pond. The Liboc parish church stands in an elevated position on a slope with Libocký Pond located deep below it.The irregularity of the surrounding streets document the gradual development of the munici- pality, where there were farms as well as plain cottages – as shown in today’s street names. After the village was connected to Prague, the agricultural character of the village finally disappeared and major rebuilding took place. However, some of the former farmsteads can still be found. The view towards the church across the pond was a frequent theme used on local postcards in the past. The old photographs even show the local “swimming pool”where a lifeguard who was famed for teach- ing swimming in a very peculiar way also used to work. In winter, when the lake froze, the men who delivered large chunks of ice cut from the pond to the local pubs also worked there.And there have been numerous pubs in the neighbourhood throughout the years! Some pubs served tourists, others were used as meeting places for members of the numerous local as- sociations.Holeček Restaurant boasted a decree from King Ferdinand I from 1535,which allowed the Prague burgher Matyáš Holeček to open a pub directly at the entrance into the game preserve (Libocká 6/268).The oldest local pub was popular with both locals as well as visitors and was frequented by Julius Zeyer,Antonín Dvořák,Jan Neruda,Vítězslav Hálek,Mikoláš Aleš,Vojtěch Hynais,Max Švabinský, Ema Destinnová and Eliška Krásnohorská, along with many others. The “Aggrandize Liboc” Beautification Committee was founded in 1899 and its work is continued today by the Liboc Civic Association,founded in 2011. Directly opposite the still existing U Holečků pub was another pub, UTampů (Libocká 1/271) by the Centrin Retirement Home

L – 30 – 1. Liboc gate to the game preserve. The house was rebuilt and now serves as the “Centrin” retirement home. Right next door was yet another pub,Hvězda (Star),and a pub used to stand also inside the walls in the house of the game preserve keeper (No.1).There was also another one at Libocká 5/277,Dvořák Pub. This simple list is astonishing and demonstrates the popularity of the trips to the game preserve. The Hudec Restaurant called Eldorado used to stand further down the road (at Libocká 15/292) and it offered billiards, bowling and concerts. A popular mineral water bottling facility used to be part of the pub, which in its time utilized water from the local springs. Directly behind this pub was another pub (17/278); the Hussite Church also had a prayer house there and the pub provided a room for the Orel physical education association (now a somewhat ugly new building). Amateur theatre performances used to take place there – the Soběslav reading and amateur actors’association was founded in 1879 and still existed in the late 1950’s, as is evidenced by contemporary photos of the performances. The workers’association room called The GeneralTrade Association Progress in Liboc used to be located in the U Švarců pub – standing opposite the school (Libocká 31/54) in 1898.There was also another important pub – U Kučerů (36/56), where the Association for building the gym at the Sokol Associa- tion in Liboc was established in 1896. A beautiful wooden pavilion was built in the garden of this pub (across the street), which was bought by Josef Kučera after the end of the Ethnographic Exhibition in 1895.The village also had a Liboc-Ruzyně choir called Hvězda and founded in 1875. It is obvious that the local people were great patriots – in fact only Czechs lived in the village – with the odd exception,and communal life blossomed there in the past. Until recently,there was an interesting local farm in Rybniční Street (10/18),that was formed by a closed area with two gates and bay windows in the front facade. U Holečků Restaurant

– 31 – Walks through Prague 6 – Part 3 The rather ugly Ristorante Fabiano building now stands on the site of another farm (Libocká 64/10). The Šesták family, attested from the 18th century, were one of the two major local agricultural families and the owners of the local farms in the 19th century. The Šesták Rock by the Džbán swimming pool was named after Václav Šesták. The farm has also been rebuilt,almost beyond rec- ognition (Libocká 45/7).Václav Šesták was, inter alia, a chairman of the local voluntary fire fighter association, which was established through his initiative in 1873. The farm of Jan Kozák – whose name lives on through Kozák Rock, the highest point in Šárka Valley, used to stand nearby. Both families used to work the land of the former Šárka fort. The largest farm in Liboc near Li- bocký Pond (Rybničná 1/18) has been partially preserved, although there are also contemporary build- ings on the land.Libocký dvůr used to be owned by the Šesták and Kubr families (see Ruzyně) and today it is a restaurant and accommodation facility. Unfortunately, not much is left of the other local farms; a modern villa andtenementblockshavesincebeen built on the land and around half of Pavlovská Street has disappeared as a result of modern day renovations, Kozák Rock Libocký dvůr

L – 32 – 1. Liboc for example. The street originally opened into the old Ruzyňská Street but now a block of apartment buildings stands there. Attempts are currently being made to pre- serve the historical character of Liboc and the natural character of the neighbourhood by the previously mentioned Liboc Associa- tion. Two buildings loaned free of charge by Prague 6, in V domcích Street (26, 29), are the seat of an archaeological park.The park was established by the Archaia company, dedicated to popularization and education activities in the field of archaeology.Visitors can learn about experimental archaeology, and there are bread and ceramics ovens as well as a few reconstructed buildings un- earthed during archaeological excavations in the Petrská district.The complex occupies a relatively large area between the surround- ing streets, although the best access point is when turning right at the church on Fa- biánova Street. A local point of curiosity is the street by the Liboc Archeopark Archeopark Liboc Libocký dvůr

– 33 – Walks through Prague 6 – Part 3 name of Pelikánova. Reportedly, this street was named in the 1930’s after one of the more popular locals. Matěj Pelikán was said by the locals to be a notorious drunkard who was allegedly seen for the first and perhaps the last time working when repairs to this street paid for from municipal funds were carried out. His unique work performance was so memorable to the local people that his name was immortalized in the street name (see the „Pražský uličník“ book). The short street Ke Kostelu, which ends with steps leading up to Libocká leads out of the former village square and even here,there are some interesting buildings – e.g. 1/44 with a nice portal,while the villa on the opposite side of the street (6/56) has a beautiful staircase covered by a wooden veranda that leads to the garden. The steps at the end of the street lead to a somewhat busy Libocká Street. In the past, several beautiful suburban villas were built on the opposite slope facing the game pre- serve and new development is still ongoing. Directly opposite the stairs is a villa with a timberedgable (Libocká 33/274).The house from 1906 is the work of the famous Prague architect Karel Hübschmann and belonged to the members of an ancient noble family. Villa Hübschmann Villa 6/56 with a wooden veranda

L – 34 – 1. Liboc An interesting character from this family was Karel Eysselt-Klimpély (1900-1979) who after study- ing at a German university devoted himself to performing in German in Czech theatres. He worked in several locations as a secondary school teacher, teaching the longest at the secondary school in Slaný from 1929-1963. Another original building is located along the street a short distance behind the now defunct cemetery. Villa Schubert (Libocká 9/276) is an extraordinary Neo-Renaissance building designed by the famous architect and student of Gottfried Semper, Zdenko Schubert (1844-1922). He designed the villa for his brother Edmund in 1871. Unfortunately, the owner of the villa died a few years after its completion and the villa continued to change owners and this was also reflected in the maintenance of the building.The villa has been built in the Italian Neo-Renaissance style with a tower-like superstructure and a balcony, with murals and sgraffiti designed by the other brother, Viktor Schubert. The garden was also originally designed in the same style as the villa. The Schubert brothers came from an influential and politically active Prague family, and it was Jo- hann Ignaz Schubert (1773-1855) who started this journey. His sons, lawyers – Eduard Victor Schubert (knighted with the surname von Soldern, 1800-1879) and Otto Schubert (1808-1883) were estate of- ficials. Eduard held the position of municipal councillor from 1850 to 1871 and was later elected to the Land Parliament and eventually sat on the Imperial Council.The sons of Otto Schubert were also publicly active – Victor Schubert was a lawyer, and Zdenko Schubert became a popular architect. He was said Villa Schubert

– 35 – Walks through Prague 6 – Part 3 to be a phenomenal drawing expert and his plans are works of art. He lectured at the German Technical University in Prague, and locations where his works can be found include Vienna and Karlovy Vary. Another 19th century suburban villa is named after a Czech poet, although Villa Zeyer (Libocká 16/ 261) was only owned by the poet’s family for a few years. Julius Zeyer (1841-1901), poet and writer, was first buried in the Slavín cemetery at Vyšehrad. His father most likely came from an old French aristocratic family, his mother was most likely a Jewess raised as an orthodox Catholic. After the death of her father she had to sell the family house in Mariánská Street (now Opletalova) and she moved to the villa in Liboc along with the family of her younger brother Jindřich.This was the meeting place for his friends, a group of intellectuals that counted Jaroslav Vrchlický, Josef Václav Sládek, Zdenka Braunerová, and František Bílek among them. The villa in Liboc was later bought by the writer Anna Lauermannová-Mikschová (Felix Téver, once the wife of Jungmann’s grandson, 1852-1932) who maintained a Julius Zeyer cult there (see the book, People of the Past). His other brother Jan Zeyer (1847-1903) studied architecture with Josef Zítek and designed apartment build- ings in the Neo-Renaissance style that frequently used figurative sgraffiti in the Mikoláš Aleš style.He married the daughter of a Roudnice businessman and patron of the arts, August Švagrovský, Františka.Their son, the painter Jan Angelo Zeyer (1878-1945) was a particularly excellent landscape painter and portraitist. The royal aqueduct had several collecting adits, which were brick-lined in the Rudolph II period. These were usually around one meter wide, with the height of an adult male. One such adit can be Libocká Street

L – 36 – 1. Liboc accessed from the garden of the kindergarten in Sbíhavá Street (2/360).The adit most likely leads under Libocká Street from the Hvězda Game Preserve. Libocká Street runs along the boundary wall of the game preserve before changing its name and continuing as Na Vypichu Street. A charming Pseudo-Renaissance villa, originally with an Italian style lookout tower, called Soud- kova, and now known as Villa Kirschner, stands at Na Vypichu (13/288). Another interesting villa, called Čechie, stood in Na Vypichu Street (1/297).The building – origi- nally in the Neo-Renaissance style (now rebuilt) was built by Josef Ruprecht – a master mason and a two-term Mayor of Liboc – for his wife. Some of the newer buildings are located on the other side of the municipality behind the railroad. The residential area began to emerge in the 19th and 20th centuries so the buildings there have an Art Nouveau influence (e.g. the villa in Libocká Street (66/148), and the First Republic homes are in a Rondo-Cubism style, as are the one-family houses in Jenečská Street (25/172 and 27/173). This part of Liboc stands on a chessboard layout and the houses are surrounded by greenery. De- velopment is ongoing, and it is gradually joining the Na Dědině settlement. In one of the local streets – Vlastina (19/500) – is a modern building,which is home to the Prague British School,an internationally accredited school with several branches in Prague providing primary and secondary education. Villa Kirschner

– 37 – Walks through Prague 6 – Part 3 The Prague British School Na Dědině housing estate – Delta department store

L – 38 – 1. Liboc Na Dědině housing estate

– 39 – Walks through Prague 6 – Part 3 A nature area in the direction of Evropská Av- enue forms part of Liboc,and it can be reached directly opposite the exit of Libocká into Ev- ropská. The family micro-brewery, Hostinec nad Šárkou was opened in this location – on the corner of Libocká and Evropská (Evropská 209/ 134) in 2013.The names of local beers re- flect the local history and legends – e.g.Ctirad, Šárka Savage, Šárka, Fabian, and Black Friday – reflecting the name of the master brewer. As you can see – the catering tradition of the area can survive anything. Divoká Šárka, or Wild Šárka, is the name of the nature reserve that stretches all the way to the Ruzyně Airport and adjoins the Šárka Val- ley (see Volume 2 of the publication). Accord- ing to archaeological finds, people have lived there since the Neolithic period. After the ar- rival of the Slavs,a hilltop fort was built - some parts of the overgrown mounds are still visible. Divoká Šárka Steps in Divoká Šárka

L – 40 – 1. Liboc Divoká Šárka

– 41 – Walks through Prague 6 – Part 3 Open Air Theatre in Divoká Šárka Open Air Theatre in Divoká Šárka

L – 42 – 1. Liboc Despite the fact that the original forest was virtually cut down in this area in the past, the places that are difficult for agricultural use are now the subject of protection.The nature reserve is made up of massive rock formations that hide remnants of steppe vegetation in the deep valleys formed by the Šárecký Stream; more than 80 species of birds live there.The area is dominated by two rocks named after Liboc farmers – Kozák Rock and Šesták Rock above the Džbán gorge.“Divoká Šárka” represents a unique element of Prague nature and in 1964 became the first natural heritage area to be declared in the whole territory of Prague (international motocross races used to be held there until 1963).Tourists will find a complex system of tourist signs that either continue to Šárka Valley, or lead to the other side, to Nebušice Valley. As a further note, an SS airfield was more or less planned for the location around the access to the area – between Evropská Avenue and Divoká Šárka – under the German occupation and work on building bomb shelters to protect it even started. An underground area with two long corridors was dug directly into the slope, with four others connecting them – at a total length of about 400 meters, and these are still preserved here. The height of the corridors is 2.5 meters with a width just under 3 meters. An explosion- proof concrete dam and other – apparently storage – areas were also built there. Guided excursions (by the Czech Union for Nature Conservation) take place in the underground in summer, and in winter it serves as a wintering location for protected species of bats. Open Air Theatre in Divoká Šárka – performance of the opera The Kiss

– 43 – Walks through Prague 6 – Part 3 The original area of Divoká Šárka was more agriculturally utilized and less forested than now – the forest area was only about a quarter of the size of the current one. In the period before World War I, the popularity and importance of national pilgrimages and other commemorations of national history increased.Therefore,in 1913,the SummerSceneoftheNationalTheatre was established on the initia- tive of the singer Emil Pollert. The theatre was set up as a natural amphitheatre with access roads for a large number of spectators and participants.Up to 600 extras and even live animals borrowed from local farmers used to perform there.The first performance there was in May 1913 and, except for wartime, summer performances were held there until 1922.The most popular opera was the Bartered Bride while Rusalka and The Jacobin were also performed.The number of spectators was high – the amphitheatre could hold up to 10,000 spectators. In later years, the area fell into disrepair and gradually became overgrown with vegetation.Nevertheless,traces of it are still visible on the ground,so in recent years this tradition was restored.Operas were once again performed there in 2005 – nowadays this is only once a year,yet they are well-attended – e.g.in 2009 there were 14,000 spectators,which is a record.In 2010 the role of Libuše in the opera of the same name was performed by Eva Urbanová.Restoration of the am- phitheatre is no longer planned because this area now forms part of the Divoká Šárka nature reserve. Emil Pollert (by his own name Emil Popper, 1877-1935) was a Czech opera singer – bass, and actor who worked in the NationalTheatre from 1918 where he performed over 5,000 times.Solely inThe Bartered Bride he sang the role of Kecal 357 times,at home and abroad.A little known fact is that he also performed in dramas and even appeared in ballet several times. A cyclingtrail with a new 0078 marking leads through this area all the way to Podbaba.The trail begins in Liboc at the final tram station, and then continues along the yellow-marked trail through Divoká Šárka, Purkrabský Grove, the former Na Padesátníku cottage area and from there to Přední Kopanina. There are many more options for trips,as can be seen. Cycling in Divoká Šárka

L – 44 – 1. Liboc The name Padesátník originally referred to a popular visitor destination; later on,a settlement of weekend cot- tages gradually emerged on the site.Today it is home to a charming residential area called Na Padesátníku (I and II). Most of the local mills were located on the lower section of the Šárka Stream (see Volume 2),although there were significantly less of them in the Liboc cadastre. Devil’s Mill (Divoká Šárka 4/39) was originally named after its owner – Tuček Mill. A restaurant with a new name and paintings of devils on the facade was later established on that spot. Today it is a heritage building under private ownership. ThelocationbetweentheDevil‘sMillandDžbánswimming pool forms part of the ŠárkaValley nature reserve. Another mill – originally called Hovorka Mill (Divoká Šárka 3/41) served as a tourist destination res- taurant.The mill was adapted to provide refreshments to visitors in the second half of the 19th century when it was also given the new name of Maiden’s Leap. Like many other buildings in Šárka, it has a long history that dates back to the 16th century.First,there was only a small homestead that stood there, which was rebuilt into a mill in the 18th century by Jan Hovorka – the name Hovorka Mill survived Devil’s Mill Na Padesátníku bus-stop

– 45 – Walks through Prague 6 – Part 3 until the 19th century. Then in a flurry of Romanticism linked with old Šárka legends, this favourite destination for a day out was given a new name. Another place for recreation in the Šárka Valley is the natural swimming pool with a water slide, children’s attractions and two pools for swimmers (Divoká Šárka 3/41). There are also a few – more or less maintained – wells bearing names such as Šesták, Habrovka, Čertovka, Zlodějka (there is a well-maintained orchard there, like at Červený vrch – part of the nature protection in Prague),Ovčí,etc.in Divoká Šárka.Some are maintained by the Brontosaurus movement. The whole area creates an interesting natural enclave, which extends along the entire Šárecký Stream to Podbaba – Lower Šárka. Mills and farms were established along the stream (see Volume 2). While Divoká Šárka is a comprehensive natural monument, Dolní (or Lower Šárka) contains three smaller units named after the homesteads located there – Duchoňská, Šatovka and Žežulka. The original thermophilic communities of flora and fauna, reminiscent of the steppe region, that are found there are protected. The entire area is collectively known as Natural park Šárka – Lysolaje, and includes Divoká,Tichá and Dolní Šárka and partially reaches into the territory of Lysolaje and Nebušice, and thus repre- sents what is probably the best preserved natural area of Prague. Swimming pool in Divoká Šárka #

R – 46 – 2. Ruzyně

– 47 – Walks through Prague 6 – Part 3 R 2. Ruzyně Ruzyně was an independent municipality until it was connected to Prague in 1960, with a history similar to that of the surrounding communities.This village is also mentioned in the false founda- tion charter of the Břevnov Monastery and its name is most likely derived from the Old Czech name of Ruzen or Ruzin, which means “saddened.” A fortress in the village is mentioned in the early 15th century. After the Hussite wars, the village became part of the Burgrave’s property and remained that way until the end of the 18th century. The local population used to be ethnically Czech with negligible exceptions.With the construction of the airport in the 1920’s,the importance of the municipality increased significantly although it didn’t become part of Prague until 1960. Compared with the history of Liboc, Ruzyně had a more eventful fate. Liboc is somehow obscured by the hilltop of White Mountain although Ruzyně was not usually able to avoid the surges of the military attacks and most likely suffered its worst damage during the Thirty Years’War. It is reported that in the mid-17th century there were four working farms,with six oth- ers abandoned. The village is located on the other side of the Hvězda Game Preserve which separates Ruzyně from Liboc. No tram lines were constructed in this village, and like Liboc it is only accessible by bus – from the termi- nus of the Number 22 tram line – Bílá Hora – behind Malý Břevnov. There is a new development lining the main street called Chapel at the Old Square

R – 48 – 2. Ruzyně Karlovarská. Closer to the area with the memorial mound are streets with names recalling the history of the Star Summer Palace and the events associ- ated with the Battle of White Mountain in 1620. One of these is Moravian’s Street (ulice Moravanů), which is named after the Moravians who, according to legend, continued to fight with their backs to the enclosed wall the longest of all. There is also Exiles Alley (Alej exulantů) commemorating the events of re-Catholicisation after this lost battle. A slightly older slice of history is recalled by the street named after Philippine Welser – the morganatic wife of the founder of the Hvězda Game Preserve, Ferdinand of Tyrol. This area behind the pilgrimage church of Our Lady of Victory is a predominantly residential area with gardens.The hill top is encircled by Nad Višňovkou Street with the Ruzyně Steps leading from it down to Manovka. The hilltop of the White Mountain at an elevation of 381 m above sea level is apparently named after the former argillite quarries. A monument to the battle, shaped as a mound, was erected on the occasion of the three hundred year anniversary in 1920. It was initiated by the Podbělohorská Sokol Association and designed by František Bílek. According to the legend, a sacred oak used to stand on a pagan sacrificial site that was once destroyed by light- ning, and the remaining pieces were taken away by the locals as talismans. Another legend claims that at the time of founding the monastery in Břevnov the tree was guarded by the devil and the monks had to fight him off with prayers, after which they cut the oak down and used it to build the frame for the monastery roof. Near the boundary wall of the Hvězda Game Preserve in the area between Huberova and Kralupská is a small and unobtrusive (as was ordered) “Toleration”cemetery. This is the smallest cemetery in Prague – with an area of just 500 m2.It was established a few years after the Patent of Toleration was issued by Joseph II in 1788. In 1848 a commemorative event by students who came to honour the fallen White Mountain war- riors was held here. They chose this site because the Austrian au- thorities prohibited a meeting at the actual battle site. Only around fifteen graves, only Monument to the Battle of White Mountain Toleration Cemetery

– 49 – Walks through Prague 6 – Part 3 two of which have been maintained, have been preserved up to today. However, the cemetery, which is a cultural monument, was repaired in 2000 by the District of Prague 6 and the Club of Friends of Ruzyně. The Patent of Toleration of Emperor Joseph II of 1781 was not as tolerant as its name might imply. The government “suffered” only three non-Catholic faiths including two evangelical churches. In practice, it still meant there was some degree of harassment by the authorities of those who wanted to register at some of the tolerated churches. Not only did their church services have to be private but the entire operation had to be paid for by the members, who also had to pay compensation to the Catholic parish priests from the parishes they left. The village now also has a Catholic cemetery although its current location is rather unusual – as if drowned on the right side of Karlovarská Street. Inside the cemetery stands a Gothic chapel from the early 20th century. Captain Robert Holmes,whose aircraft crashed in the garden of Mr.Buzek’s gardening shop in April 1945, was secretly buried by the cemetery wall.Through his family, a small memorial was unveiled at the crash site in 2005. (The Captain’s remains were exhumed after the war and the family had them transported back to the U.S.) The remains of the Vlasov soldiers who participated in the Prague Uprising were also buried by the cemetery. The Pilgrimage road to Hájek ran through this area and there are small chapels,which are now grad- Ruzyně Cemetery

R – 50 – 2. Ruzyně ually being repaired in Břevnov. The Marian-Franciscan pilgrimage road used to connect the Prague Loreto with the Loreto of the Franciscan monastery in Hájek.The road led from Ladronka through White Mountain to Hostivice and ran more or less along what is now Karlovarská Street. It is reported that the pilgrimage was attended by up to 60,000 pilgrims in the first half of the 18th cen- tury.The sixth of the chapels is located in Bolívarova Street, another one was demolished, the eighth one was moved closer to the Church of Our Lady of Victory, the ninth one was also destroyed, the tenth is close to the original Karlovarská Street (on the border of Řepy and Ruzyně),and the eleventh stands near the new bridge over the main road – at U Strnada by the Prague ring road on the border between Ruzyně and Hostivice. The chapels then continue through Hostivice to Hájek, although many of these were also demolished in the past.The existing chapels are currently maintained by the Hájek Pilgrimage Road Civic Association founded in 2013. There were two other popular pilgrimage roads in Bohemia in the past – one to Stará Boleslav and the other to the Holy Mountain near Příbram. The Stará Boleslav pilgrimage road was apparently a model for the local one. A collection of several estates and peasant farms representing a unique monument to folk architecture has been preserved in the centre of Ruzyně and the municipal centre was declared a village con- servation area in 1995. Conservation areas are only declared in areas where the urban structure has minimum disruption, and this applies to the historic core of Ruzyně. Most of the preserved farms have their gables facing the large village square or the surrounding area. A chapel which was recently renovated stands in the centre of the municipality. A fountain is located by the wall of a farmhouse (7/13).The Litovický Stream flows through the village square and is then diverted into underground No. 8 chapel on the pilgrimage road

– 51 – Walks through Prague 6 – Part 3 pipes in the area below the prison.In the past,there was a mill on the Litovický Stream and in Ruzyně – in today’s Ruzyňská Street near the preserved boundary wall at No. 32. However, it was demolished in the interwar period. Pub life also blossomed in Ruzyně, although not to the same extent as in nearby Liboc. Indeed, club activities usually took place there and the people of Ruzyně mostly just joined these. Apparently, this was to do with the character of the settlement. The local people mainly worked in the fields from morning till night, whereas the inhabitants of Liboc were mostly employed as labourers with fixed working hours. The popular garden restaurant of Josef Juris (No.22),called U Koruny,used to be located at the inter- section of Drnovská and Stochovská in one corner of the square.The former coaching inn U Maříků stood close by, for carters heading to Louny and Chomutov (No. 10). Part of the building still stands today,although much of it has been rebuilt for residential purposes. KubrFarm (Staré náměstí 9/15) is one of the oldest – and best preserved – farms in Ruzyně (previous- ly mentioned in 1568).The fact that the farm is located directly by the old village square is connected to the status of the owners.The Kubr family lived there for many centuries and from the 18th century invariably someone from the family served as the local magistrate (which is why the pub is now called U rychtáře – Magistrate’s).The gate of the Baroque farm opens directly onto the village square.Origi- nally the farm consisted of four separate buildings surrounded by a wall. The two storey residential building was built of brick and had a small outbuilding (most likely a house for the parents of the own- ers),along with stables.This was a common design for farm buildings because it enabled people going Kubr Farm

R – 52 – 2. Ruzyně Litovický Stream Park with the relocated chapel No. 8 on the pilgrimage road

– 53 – Walks through Prague 6 – Part 3 Ruzyně village conservation area Feofee garden

R – 54 – 2. Ruzyně to the stables to keep their feet dry,even in bad weather,and to take care of small domestic animals.The brick granary was a separate building – because of the risk of fire as well as the courtyard entry leading to the fields. Another outbuilding served as stables for cattle.The arrangement of the farm buildings was refined by centuries-old traditions and was common for nearly all farmsteads.Unfortunately,in the 1980’s the historic premises were slightly devalued by the reconstruction of the production buildings (now a hotel).The farm next to it,No.14,was completely demolished at that time. The Kubr family also used to own farms in Stodůlky and this rich family of landowners and magistrates had some difficulties with the local administration due to religion because they were clandestine Protes- tants. Jan Kubr was publicly beaten in front of the parish church in Řepy in 1749 and forced to publicly confess Catholicism. Martin Kubr was investigated several times due to a denunciation of the ownership of banned books. Only after the reforms of Joseph II were they able to claim allegiance to the Evangelical Church. A number of the local people also did the same thing, which is why the first Reformed cemetery was founded in Ruzyně in 1784. The former production building at Kubr Farm, accessible from Drnovská Street (36/968) now houses the “largest sales exhibition of minerals, gemstones and fossils in Europe” – and now has a branch on Havlíčkova Street. Other surviving farms in the heritage reserve in Ruzyně were also modified in the past; their appearance usually corresponds to their situation in the 19th century. They are numbered in a row, revolving around the Old Square, or the old roads from the village square lead to them. In most cases, the farms have a well-preserved brick residential building with the usual passageway Sales exhibition of minerals, gemstones and fossils at Kubr Farm

– 55 – Walks through Prague 6 – Part 3 to the farmyard, some have other farm buildings, such as a brick barn, also preserved. This is the case of the so called Feofee Court (Manský dvůr) (No. 18), which is situated by the stream. The Feofee Courts were previously exempt from ordinary labour for the landlord but their owners or tenants had duties assigned to the local landowners. It is not clear if this Court is related to the Old Baroque granary in Chomutovská Street Na Kovárně Restaurant

R – 56 – 2. Ruzyně fortress mentioned in the village in the early 15th century. Local names, such as Feofee Pond (Manský rybník), Nad Manovkou or Feofee Garden (Manská zahrada) undoubtedly recall the his- tory of the local owners. A forge used to be- long to every farming village in the past and the name of one of the restaurants near Staré náměstí (Old Square) serves as a reminder – Na Kovárně, Kralupská (31/44), founded in 1886. Another development is currently being built there – a residence called Manovka.This complex is joined to some of the older buildings on the northern slopes of White Mountain. An old Baroque granary has been preserved in Chomutovská Street (10/38), which is now part of a residential building. The inconspicuous Master Jan Hus Monument has stood in Kralupská Street, which leads to the Toleration Cemetery, since 1921 – it is actually a large stone with an inscription and a chalice. From the other side of Staré náměstí, in Drnovská (43/19), there is access to a large sports centre along Litovický Stream built by the Physical Education Association of Ruzyně. The sports centre is a multifunctional facility for various types of sports with the option of accommodation. Ruzyně Remand Prison, with Dědina settlement in the background Master Jan Hus Monument in Kralupská Street

– 57 – Walks through Prague 6 – Part 3 The sports facility is neighboured by an area bordered by Ztracená Street and the railroad tracks with the premises of the State Phytosanitary Administration and several buildings on the site of former farms. Drnovská Street continues behind the track, where there is another extensive area of the Crop Research Institute, a library and the Agricultural Engineering Research Institute on the left. Drnovská then connects the flyover to the main road leading to the airport. Not far from Staré náměstí, Kralupská Street leads along the wall that surrounds Prague-Ruzyně Remand Prison. One of the oldest sugar mills in the country stood in this location as well as the villa of its owners.The mid-19th century building became the property of the Land Administrative Committee during the period of the First Republic. In 1929 it was decided to move the former workhouse from Hradčany (Trautmannsdorf Palace in Loretánská Street) there. The workhouse with workshops in the adjacent farmhouse began to operate in 1935. At that time there were about 200 inmates on remand and 33 prison officers. After 1948, the workhouse was transferred to Pardu- bice in what became a dark period for Ruzyně.The then Ministry of the Interior had another building with four hundred cells built there for the so called “special regime” run entirely by the StB, and some regime opponents and dissidents, which later included President Václav Havel, were imprisoned here.A commemorative plaque to these political prisoners was officially unveiled there in 2005. In 1992,CzechTelevision broadcast a four-part series called Companions in the Bleak House, which was based on the book by the same name by Eva Kantůrková.She also spent almost one year imprisoned there. Prague-Ruzyně Station Water Tank Tower

R – 58 – 2. Ruzyně The dominant feature of the complex visible from a long distance is a chimney with an octagonal water tank, which is not a watchtower but a rem- nant of the original sugar refinery. One further point of interest – a man who became the model for a famous literary character worked in the former sugar factory before World War I. His name was František Strašlipka and he was the actual mili- tary servant of Lieutenant Lukáš from the Good Soldier Švejk novel. Praha-Ruzyně railway station is located on the way from Staré náměstí. The Buštěhrad railroad track separates the old Ruzyně from the new development built there. The original horse-drawn railway was extended to operate steam trains and began to be used for passen- ger transport in the 1860’s. Therefore, railway stations were built on the track – the one in Ruzyně is from 1875. Monument to Pilots Na Dědině housing estate Monument to Students

– 59 – Walks through Prague 6 – Part 3 Beyond the track,towards the Na Dědině housing estate,is the military area with military barracks and the military secondary school of Jan Žižka on the right.The barracks in Ruzyně held the students who attended the unauthorized funeral of Jan Opletal and the subsequent anti-German demonstrations on 17 November 1939 and who were subsequently interned by the German authorities.Nine of the students were executed immediately and 1,200 others were interned in the Sachsenhausen concentration camp; most of these were released after three years following direct intervention by President Hácha. Actions against the Czech students and the subsequent closure of the Czech universities became a symbol of freedom and already during World War II thedate of 17 November was declared InternationalStudents’ Day in London in 1941.A memorial with the names of the executed students was placed on the premises after the war. The military facility also includes several blocks for soldiers’ families. Josef Mašín lived with his wife in Litovická Street (11/357) and there is a memorial plaque by Alois Sopra from the late 1960’s on the house. Lieutenant Colonel Josef Mašín (1896-1942) had an extensive military history and was a member of several resistance groups during the German occupation, most notably the famous “Three Kings” organization – along with Lt.Col.Josef Balabán and Staff CaptainVáclav Morávek.In 1915 he was drafted into the Austrian army, from which he defected to Russian captivity and became a member of the Czechoslovak Legion.He fought,among other battles,in the famous battle of Zborov.He also remained in the army throughout the First Republic period. When he was arrested in May 1941 he defended himself with weapons but was overpowered and arrested and was brutally tortured by the Gestapo in Petschka Palace.He was among the first to be executed immediately after Šestka Shopping Mall

R – 60 – 2. Ruzyně Václav Havel Airport Prague Václav Havel Airport Prague

– 61 – Walks through Prague 6 – Part 3 the assassination of Heydrich at the Kobylisy shooting range. In May 2005, he was posthumously promoted to the rank of Major General. His wife Zdena Mašínová was (besides being imprisoned by the Gestapo) imprisoned by the Communist secret police in connection with the escape of her sons – the Mašín’ Brothers Resistance Group. She died in prison in 1956. Between the old and new parts of Ruzyně and the new development in the Na Dědině location is an extensive area housing various shops and department stores. In the area between Drnovská Street and Evropská Avenue is an older quarter with villas called Dědina or Na Dědině, followed by a housing estate of the same name which was built in the late 1970’s. It was built in a triangular area called Na zelené louce. Local development also continued and the new Šestka shopping centre was built there in 2006. Václav Havel Airport Prague located in Ruzyně and built in 1937 is the largest airport in the country. The origins of aviation in the Czech Republic are connected to JanKašpar who undertook his first long- distance flight from Pardubice to Prague in 1911. A few years later the first Prague airport was built in Kbely.This airport built in 1920 is therefore considered to be the first true airport in the country.The problem was that there was not enough space for the growing number of flights,and so it was decided to build a new airport in the 1930’s.The location called Na dlouhé míli (The Long Mile) was selected be- cause of its short distance to the city centre and because of its suitable position – the altitude guaranteed Václav Havel Airport Prague

R – 62 – 2. Ruzyně Václav Havel Airport Prague Václav Havel Airport Prague

– 63 – Walks through Prague 6 – Part 3 Václav Havel Airport Prague – aerial view Václav Havel Airport Prague

R – 64 – 2. Ruzyně Václav Havel Airport Prague Václav Havel Airport Prague

– 65 – Walks through Prague 6 – Part 3 that there would not be much fog.The first terminal building with a white Functionalist style ceramic shell and navigation tower was designed by the architect Adolf Benš.He received an international award for this design in 1937. An interesting fact is that this building became a model for other European airports before World War II. The airport operation was launched when the first aircraft from Slovakia landed here on 5 April 1937 at 9:00 followed by an aircraft on the Vienna-Prague-Dresden route,which landed one hour later. At the beginning of the German occupation – on 15 March 1939 – the airport was taken over by the Ger- man Luftwaffe.All the original routes were scrapped,leaving only the connections to Vienna and Berlin. The restoration of civilian life after World War II was connected to some interesting aspects.Staff would tell how planes used to land in conditions with poor visibility: lit torches would be placed in holes along the runway so the planes could land between them. Some changes took place in the 1950’s although a major reconstruction was not carried out until the late 1960’s (known as the New Airport).It is ironic that the airport underwent its first load test at the time of the Soviet invasion in August 1968.The airport was not extended over subsequent years,on the contrary, some national lines were discontinued and there were not many international flights due to the actions of the regime. This of course changed after 1989.The airport experienced the largest modernization and reconstruction in its history. Gradually, new passenger areas and another terminal were opened. Nowadays, in relation to the Czech Republic’s access to the European Union and the Schengen area, one terminal serves for flights within Europe (Terminal 2) and the second for flights to other countries (Terminal 1). The airport has three runways and consists of two separate terminals with their own check-in areas. Terminal 1 was opened in 1997, but was later expanded and modernized, in particular access to aircraft. It welcomed its ten millionth passenger in 2005. Terminal2was put into operation in 2006 under the 1995 SchengenTreaty on free movement of people between the signatory countries.The terminal was designed to be able to further expand its capacity as required. The original airport building (now a heritage building) is mainly used for VIP flights and special flights e.g. government and foreign dignitaries. In addition, a new cargo terminal was opened in 1994 for the transport of goods. The local name Dlouhá mile (The long mile) is reminiscent of the old country road. A change-over station was located more or less on the site of the very first airport building. The airport complex also includes a number of other buildings.There is a monument to the “Memory of the heroes who contributed to the development of civil aviation and gave their lives in the struggle against Fascism in World War II”in front of the Institute of Civil Aviation. # The author apologizes for an error in the second volume of the publication on p. 28. The building of the parish church in Střešovice belongs to the Evangelical Church of the Czech Brethren.

R – 66 – 2. Ruzyně Bust of Jan Kašpar