Majorka Homestead

Welcome to Prague's Dejvice. Stop for a moment, take a breath and look around you. You're standing in front of an area called Majorka. At first glance, it may seem like it's just another part of urban development, but if you look more closely at the shapes of buildings and feel the atmosphere of this place, you start to feel the presence of many centuries of history. It is a place where agricultural tradition has encountered an industrial rise and eventually modern science. Let's go back together in time, deep into the sixteenth century, when the surroundings looked completely different than today. Imagine the vast green areas, the quiet roads and, above all, the endless rows of vines. It was here, in the year five hundred seventy-two, that the story of this place as we know it began. There was a man named Hanuš Denk. It wasn't one large estate at the time, but rather a collection of five separate, smaller vineyards. But Hanuš Denk had a vision and joined these five small units into one larger economy. In order to imagine the size of the vineyards that worked together then, we have to use old-fashioned measurements. The whole area had an area of fourteen hundred. Strych was a common unit of area at the time, and even though we no longer use such a word in common terms, in the context of the then economy it was a very decent area that allowed the wine industry to prosper and develop. Now pay attention to the name itself that you are reading on the charts or hearing in the maps today. CZECH NOTE: The word Majorka sounds exotic, almost like the name of a remote island, but the truth is much more grounded and closely connected to the people who lived here. In the seventeenth century, the estate came into the hands of an owner named Eliáš Magaur z Greifenau. It was his name that became the basis for naming the entire campus. The place was originally called Magourka. However, as we know, language is a living organism, and words are changed over time. Magourka became Makourka gradually and with the arrival of the twentieth century the name was finally transformed into today's Major. It is fascinating to see one family name gradually taking the form that reminds us of Mediterranean areas today, although the roots of this place are firmly embedded in Prague's soil. Now look at the architecture of the buildings in front of you. Feel their shapes and the way they are distributed. Although the area has undergone many modifications, there are still traces of different ages. One of the most important elements to think about is the chapel of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary. It was built in the year seven hundred and sixteen thanks to the initiative of Dean Tobias Vojtěch Opitz. It was a construction in the late Baroque style that brought to the agricultural area a touch of spirituality and elegance. Although much has changed over time in the premises, the existence of such a chapel shows how important faith played in the life of the people at the time and how they tried to nationalize their surroundings. As part of architectural changes in later times, Ludvík Melzer also left its trail, whose work helped shape the form we know today. But when we move on in time, we find that Majorka was not just about wine and prayers. The nineteenth century brought with it an era of industrial revolution and with it a radical change in the function of this place. In a thousand and eight hundred and sixty-four, there was a major twist. In connection with the purchase of land for the new railway, a brick operation started here. Imagine the contrast. Silent vineyards with the scent of grapes were replaced by noise, smoke and heavy labor with clay and fire. Majorka has become a site of production of building material that helped build a growing Prague. But even that wasn't the end of transformations. Later, the premises turned into a shoe factory, which only confirms the incredible ability of this place to adapt to the period needs. From the farmhouse to the brick to the production of shoes. This place is associated with the names of many personalities who left their prints. In addition to the above mentioned Hanuš Denko, Elias Magaur or Tobias Vojtěv Opitz, names such as František Dittrich, Isidor Schmied or Antonín Klecanda appear in history. They were people who lived here, worked, did business, and maybe even dreamed. Each of them added a chapter to the Major, whether it was an economic boom, an industrial boom, or maintaining traditions. Today in Majorca you will find no vineyards, no bricks, no footwear machines. If you look at the current use of buildings, you will see that the Institute for Hydrodynamics of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic is based here. It's a fascinating turn. The place where there was previously work with clay and leather is now the centre of top scientific research where the movement of liquids and gases is studied. Science replaced the craft, but the historical walls remained. It is thanks to the fact that the property was entered in the list of real cultural monuments in the year nine hundred and fifty-eight, Majorka has retained its identity and unique character in the middle of the modern city. The interesting thing that might interest you is the change in the name we talked about. It's kind of a little language mystery that shows us how people's language can transform reality. Who would have said in a thousand and seven hundred fifty that the estate named after Mr Magaur would be perceived as Majorka for two walls? It is a reminder that history is not only about data and facts, but also about how we think about things and what we name them. Now I encourage you to look around in peace. Look through the facade of the buildings, feel their rhythm, and try to imagine how the sounds have changed over 500 years. From the rustling of vine leaves, to the rumbling of brick furnaces, to the silent discussion of scientists in laboratories. Majorka is living proof that nothing is static and that even a small estate in Dejvice can carry the entire history of Czech development. Thank you for accompanying me on this short journey through time. I hope you're interested in the story of the Major and that you're now looking at these buildings with different eyes. Now you can continue your walk Dejvicemi and discover other hidden corners of our city. Have a pleasant day and many other observations. Goodbye.