Changing Street Names
All towns and cities have streets with names chosen by their governors. Often streets are named after important figures in the town, city or country’s historical past. For various reasons certain names can go out of fashion and streets can change identity.
The effect can go further - towns and cities, even countries can change name.
But here I’d like to talk a little about the changes in street names in Plzeň.
When I arrived in Plzeň I was looking for the Hotel Ural. I’d booked a room by telephone but had no map in the car. I remember stopping on Sady Pětatřicátníků to ask directions. The guy I asked either didn’t understand me (which I can well believe as this was the first time I’d ever tried speaking Czech) or there was something wrong in what I was asking for.
I had the name and address written on a piece of paper and so fetched this from the car to show him. He knew at once what I was looking for and gave me directions. Looking back I don’t know how I could have understood his directions and I certainly remember the feeling that there was something wrong - I didn’t really understand - but I found my hotel all the same.
The hotel was no longer known as the Ural, it was the Hotel Central.
So hotels, too, can change name.
At the hotel I was given a town guide “Plzeň, Orientační Průvodce Městem” which, of course, included a street plan of the city. Very useful!
Unfortunately I soon found out why the guide, priced at 22 Crowns, had been given to me free-of-charge - it was published in 1985 during the communist period and some of the streets have changed name since 1989.
I couldn’t find, for example, Anglické nábřeží or Americká Ulice - they had been renamed Charkovské nábřeží and Moskevská Ulice. Very confusing.
I wonder if I’ll get a chance to list all the changes, it could be fun.
Plzeň Streets Now (2000s)
Plzeň street plan 2000s (Town Centre)
Plzeň Streets in 1985
Plzeň street plan 1985 (Town Centre)
Plzeň Streets in the 1930s
Plzeň street plan 1930s (Town Centre)
Plzeň Streets in 1912
Plzeň street plan 1912 (Town Centre)
Street plan provided by George Krejci
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Plzeň Hlavní Nádraží
Plzeň Gottwaldovo Nádraží
Plzeň Gottwaldovo Nádraží
Photo from George Krejci’s website
Plzeň Gottwaldovo Nádraží
Photograph © Copyright 1950s George Krejci
I’d really like to thank George Krejci for sending me this fantastic early color photograph (above) from his collection. It’s a great addition to this section - a wonderful photograph! Thanks George!
An evening shot of Plzeň Gottwaldovo Nádraží 1950s
Photograph © Copyright 1950s George Krejci
This is another great photo from George - it shows Gottwaldovo Nádraží in the evening with the sign and star iluminated.
Plzeň Gottwaldovo Nádraží 1967
Copyright information unknown
Plzeň Gottwaldovo Nádraží 1968
Photo from George Krejci’s website
Plzeň Hlavní Nádraží
Copyright information unknown
Plzeň Hlavní Nádraží
Copyright information unknown
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Bory Prison
Bory Prison, Plzeň
Photograph © Copyright Vězeňská Služba České Republiky
Bory Prison. It’s not a pleasing sentance, is it? Bory Prison. But it’s a fantastic building! The first time I saw it I didn’t realise it was a prison - I had no idea what it was, but I was impressed by it’s design.
I first saw this building at ground level and from a moving car. I was driving, so I didn’t get a good look. I just remember the impression it left.
It’s a very difficult building to find information about - try searching the internet for “bory prison”. I guarantee you won’t find much.
My searches came up with a story about two murderers who escaped by hiding in a pallet; the horrors of the second world war and, if my memory serves me justly, the fact that Václav Havel spent some time there.
Bory Prison from the Air
Photograph © Copyright Letecká Škola, Plzeň
Bory Prison from the Air
Photograph © Copyright mapy.cz / seznam.cz / Geodis
The main entrance to Bory Prison
Photograph © Copyright 2006 Eva Haunerová
A View of Bory Prison 1928
Provided by George Krejci
Věznice Plzeň
Klatovská 202
P.O.BOX 335
301 00 Plzeň
Czech Republic
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The Brewery (Pivovar)
Brewery gates 1991 - Plzeňský Prazdroj
Photograph © Copyright 1991 Clive Porter
Notice in this photograph that the brewery’s signpost says “Plzeňský Prazdroj” whereas in the second picture (below) this has been replaced with a sign saying “Pilsner Urquell”.
In order to strengthen international corporate and brand identity, the name Plzeňský Prazdroj was dropped in favour of the German name “Pilsner Urquell” which was already being used in the largest markets.
Brewery gates 1993 - Pilsner Urquell
Photograph © Copyright 1993 Clive Porter
A second and, in my opinion, more important change (excluding the flower garden) is the fact that one of the gates is open. This shows the transition from closed industrial plant to open public monument. This change will be further discussed later in this post.
Plzeňský Pivovar prior to 1991
Plzeňský Pivovar 1983
Copyright information unknown
You may notice that I haven’t posted the crowd photos yet. I had to put that on hold because I found this magnificent photograph of the brewery gates in 1983.
Notice that one of the brewery gates is open. That seems to negate my earlier comments… The red star is quite obviously there too and the slogan Nositel Řádu Práce which I have been unable to translate - can anybody help with that?
The Brewery Gates in 1960
Photographer: J I Sykes, Photograph © Copyright University of St Andrews Library photographic archive
Thanks to the Unitversity of St Andrews for their kind permission to include the above photograph which clearly shows the same brewery sign seen in the 1950s (see below).
The Brewery Gates in the 1950s
Photograph © Copyright George Krejci
I want to thank George for sending me this fantastic picture of the brewery gates in the 1950s. The star here is just an outline - similar to that found at the main train station. The sign over the door says “Plzeňské Pivovary” and “Národní Podnik” (National Company).
It’s a great photo!
The Brewery Gates Since 1993
The gates were restored (again) in the late 1990s
Copyright information unknown
The gates in 2002
Copyright information unknown
There seem to be some familiar elements missing from the scene in the above photograph.
The most obvious is, perhaps, the sign which, by 2002, would have said Pilsner Urquell. Also missing, though are the steps and the door up to which they lead.
The Brewery Shop
Brewery gates 1991 - Plzeňský Prazdroj
Photograph © Copyright 1991 Fred Porter
I know, we can’t see the shop can we? Well, in 1991 the shop was housed in the building to the right as we look at the brewery gates. The door is, unfortunately, hidden behind the tourist coach.
Every visit I made included a final visit to the brewery - to buy a box of beer from the shop. A box would include 12 500ml bottles of the world’s best beer but the interesting thing about it was that I would never know which labels would be on the bottles - sometimes they were labelled in Czech, sometimes in Russian, German, etc. Perhaps I should have kept some of the labels - people sell them on ebay these days!
The Brewery Restaurant
In 1991 Plzeň’s brewery restaurant Restaurace Prazdroj was one of my favourite places to eat. It was fairly small with long tables which encouraged people to talk. The food was excellent and with a steady flow of the world’s best beer, conversation was an inevitability - an excellent way to make new friends. The atmosphere was unique.
Restaurace Prazdroj 1991
Photograph © Copyright 1991 Clive Porter
Restaurace Prazdroj 1993
Photograph © Copyright 1993 Clive Porter
The restaurant was, unfortunately, closed in 1992 or 1993. This too was inevitable as the sheer numbers of visitors wanting to eat and try a beer or two were just to great.
So a new restaurant, “Na Spilce”, was opened within the brewery grounds.
Restaurace Na Spilce
Copyright information unknown
Na Spilce is a much larger restaurant and caters for many more customers than the old restaurant could cope with. It’s sadly lacking in the atmosphere which made Restaurace Prazdroj so enjoyable.
Inside the Brewery Yard
In 1991 I found it very difficult to enter into the brewery yard. The gates were shut and repeated attempts at ringing on the bell often yielded no response. I did manage to enter, but only in order to be told that brewery tours were by appointment only and that I should consult with Čedok (I can’t think why.)
In 1992 the gates were opening and a list of brewery tour times was posted - they were tentative and dependant on a guide being available. No guide was ever available for me in 1992 but I did get to talk to some very nice people.
Inside the brewery yard in 1993
Photograph © Copyright 1993 Clive Porter
In 1993 tours were not only easily available, but regular and crowded.
Did I say crowded? In 1993? You should see them now!
Inside the brewery yard 2004
Photograph from the EPDIC website
I’d like to see more early photographs - any offers?
Prohlídky Pivovaru Plzeň
U Prazdroje 7
304 97 Plzeň
Tel.: +420 377 061 111
Fax: +420 377 062 230
For some interesting recent photographs of the brewery, visit : Fotoalbum českých pivovarů - Plzeňský Prazdroj
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