The North side of Kopeckého Sady in 1905
From a postcard
The North side of Kopeckého Sady in 1918
From a postcard
Looking East along Kopeckého Sady circa 1920
From a postcard
Looking East along Kopeckého Sady in the 1950s
Photograph © Copyright George Krejci
See also:
Burgher Hall - Měšťanská Beseda
West Bohemian Museum - Západočeské Muzeum
Americka Třída 42 was the Czechoslovak communist party regional headquarters
Copyright information unknown
The building which stands on the corner of Americká třída and Prokopova ulice was previously the communist party’s regional headquarters. Currently it houses the University of West Bohemia’s law faculty.
Americka Třída 42 circa 2000
Photograph from www.ops.zcu.cz
The above photograph shows how the building was extended on the Americká side to fill the gap seen on the earlier 1950s photograph.
There are now plans to extend the Chamber Theatre (Komorní divadlo) into this building.
The Sokol House - Sokolna, year unknown
Copyright information unknown
The Sokol House in the 1950s
Photograph © Copyright George Krejci
The Sokol House in 1991
Photograph © Copyright Clive Porter 1991
The Franciscan Chapel and Monestary are apparently amongst the oldest remaining buildings in Plzeň dating from the 13th century which means they survived both the Hussite and Thirty Years wars.
Franciscan Church 1950s
Photograph © Copyright George Krejci
My 1985 guide of Plzeň (I really should try and find a more up-to-date reference!) labels the chapel seen in these photographs as Nanabevzetí Panny Marie which seems to translate as The Assumption of the Virgin Mary.
I don’t really understand religeous matters and so would refer you to the University’s page which details the history of the Franciscan Church.
Franciscan Church 1993
Photograph © Copyright 1993 Clive Porter
During my visits to Plzeň the church and monestary weren’t open to the public as far as I remember however I believe they have now been restored and visits are possible.
Franciscan Church 2004
Copyright information unknown
These three photographs show the view from the entrance on Františkánská ulice.
Stará Sladovna - Stredoveká krcma, Malá ulice 2006
Photograph © Copyright 2006 Eva Haunerová
I thought I’d start with this photo for no other reason than that looking at it now makes me want to be there. Spring will soon be moving into summer and the fine weather seems at last to have arrived (although I hear the ominous rumbling of thunder in the distance - sent, perhaps, from England to annoy me) and a glass of Pilsner, sitting at one of those benches in the shade would do very nicely indeed.
Malá Ulice in the 1950s
Photograph © Copyright George Krejci
Malá Ulice in the 1950s
Photograph © Copyright George Krejci
This second photograph is very interesting as in the courtyard of the brewery museum there is a doorway / portal with a plaque stating that, in 1958, the doorway was moved from house reference number 39 in Malá Ulice.
The plaque in the Brewery Museum
Photograph © Copyright Clive Porter 1991
This would certainly seem to tie in well with George’s photograph. Looking at the next photograph, I’m fairly sure this is the doorway that was moved.
The Doorway / Portal moved from Malá Ulice to the Brewery Museum in 1958
Photograph © Copyright Clive Porter 1991
The University of West Bohemia has this to say about Malá ulice :
The solitary narrow lane on the site of medieval Plzen to be preserved up to the present day (up to the end of the 19th century there was also Katovska Street on the site of today’s General Post Office).
Now, however, it is demolished and the houses with doors on the north side have been knocked down.
According to a Czech dendrology site dendrochronologie.cz, the house previously referenced as numbers 39 and 40 in Plzeň went by the name of Lautensackovský dům - so could George’s photograph show the destruction of Lautensackovský dům? I rather think it does.
See also the Brewery Museum & Na Parkánu article
Drawing of Malá Ulice 1928
Provided by George Krejci
I’d really like to thank George for this one: This is a very interesting drawing of the buildings in question. Here we can see building refernce number 39 in use although it would appear that an upper storey has been removed.
Building reference number 40 is present - in the 1950s photograph, it is missing although the line of its roof can be seen on the adjoining building.
I wonder why these two houses were removed?
Mala ulice 2006
Photograph © Copyright 2006 Eva Haunerová
Thanks to Eva for this recent photograph - the view is from the opposite (east) end of the street and the site of the two buildings we’ve been talking about is marked by the brown wooden fencing (seen here on the right).
The building seen on the lefthand side of this photograph is also a very interesting building. This is the Stará Sladovna (the Old Malt House) which is also known as the Středověká Krčma - The Medieval Ale House (or Tavern).
I don’t have any 1990s photographs of this building - nor even this street - but I do seem to remember it. I’m sure it wasn’t open - had it been, I would surely have quenched my thirst there.
The Old Malt House - Medieval Tavern 2006
Photograph © Copyright 2006 Eva Haunerová
This is a better view of Stará Sladovna.
Malá ulice 2006
Photograph © Copyright 2006 Eva Haunerová
This view of Malá ulice is very similar to the first 1950s photograph.
