Čertouská Street

Welcome to Prague, in the part of the Deep Bits. You are standing in the street Čertouská, which surrounds you with its peaceful and domestic atmosphere. When you look around you now, you will see a space that acts as a womb for family life rather than as the noisy center of a big city. In front of you, there is a road that connects Klánovický Street to the street in Chaloupky, and if you look closely, you will see where Váňkov Street intersects it. It is a place where time has stopped and where you can perceive the rhythm of suburban life, which is so typical of this part of Prague.

Let us now look together at how this place was created and what its historical context is. This street you're in right now was founded and got its name in the year one thousand nine thirty. Its name is not random, but it refers to the village of Certousa that once existed here. It is fascinating to think that, at the time of its creation, this area was much more distant from what we see today as a capital city. The history of this place is closely linked to changes in administrative boundaries and administrative changes. Just three years after the street was named, in the year one thousand and thirty-three, the village of Certousa became part of the Upper Pomerania. This shows us how the map of the area has changed over the years and how small communities have merged into larger communities. The connection of this entire area to the capital city of Prague took place much later, only in the year one thousand and nine and seventy-four. This has made the local suburb a full part of Prague's infrastructure, yet it has retained its unique character.

Now pay attention to the surrounding development and what you see right in front of you. Note that the street is characterised primarily by its family houses. Look at how these houses are located and how their gardens are connected to them. It is these green areas that give the street its human dimension and a sense of privacy. It's the architecture of everyday life, where the harmony between inhabited spaces and nature is most intrigued. If you look to the north now, notice a significant change in space. The north section of the street is much wider. It is a very pleasant section where the lanes separate a wide grassy belt in which trees grow. This element is perceived as a natural separator that soothes space and brings an element of the park to the urban development. Watch how the trees create a natural shadow and how this wide strip follows on to the central, deep, public spaces that form the north end of this street.

When we think about the personalities and stories associated with this place, we have to acknowledge that the history of Čertouské Street is not written in the biographies of great builders or famous politicians. It is rather the history of ordinary people who built their homes here, grew their gardens and formed communities. The architects of the individual houses remained unknown, which in this case is almost symbolic. This street is not the product of one big plan or one famous name, but the result of the gradual growth and needs of people who wanted to live here. It's a monument to everyday life where every garden and fence tells their own little story about the generations that passed through here.

Let me now interest you in one interesting thing that brings our thoughts back to the darker times of the last century. Although today we see the name Čertouská as natural and permanent, it has not always been so. In the period of Nazi occupation, between a thousand and a thousand ninety-four and a thousand ninety-five, this street had a German name. It is a reminder of the time when our country was under foreign influence and even the smallest details, such as street names, were changed to match the will of the occupants. It is important to note that even this quiet and idyllic street has traces of European history. It's the contrast between today's room, which you feel in this grassy tree belt, and the tension that must have been here more than eight decades ago.

Stop for a moment and feel the silence of this place. Take another look at the broad green areas at the north end and imagine how this area evolved from a small village to a part of the Upper Púčernice to today's Prague district. Čertouská street is basically a bridge between the past and the present, between the countryside and the city.

Now that you have become acquainted with the history and character of this place, I invite you to further explore. Go through the rest of the street, feel the smell of gardens and enjoy a moment of peace along the shadows of the trees in the north section. Perhaps you'll find a way towards a central deep space where you can experience the center of this part of town. Thank you for walking through this quiet Prague street together. I wish you a pleasant rest of the day and many other discoveries in the beautiful city of Prague. Goodbye.