Žižkov
Encyclopedia
Žižkov is a cadastral district of Prague
, Czech Republic. Most of Žižkov lies in the municipal and administrative district of Prague 3
, except for very small parts which are in Prague 8
and Prague 10
. Prior to 1922, Žižkov was an independent city.
The district is named after Hussite
military leader Jan Žižka
. It is situated south of Vitkov
hill, site of the Battle of Vitkov Hill
on 14 July 1420, where Žižka's peasant army decisively defeated the forces of Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor
.
, it had a reputation as a rough area. This reputation spread across the whole former Czechoslovakia
and it was still possible to trace it amongst the people many decades later.
The Žižkovians were very proud of their bad reputation and up to this day they tend to refer to their neighbourhood as the "The free republic of Žižkov". This sentiment was very often a source of inspiration for novelists or film makers. This was captured in a humorous novel by Vlastimil Rada and Jaroslav Žák, Z tajností žižkovského podsvětí ("Secrets of the Žižkov Underground"), and in a 1985 film by Ivo Novák, Fešák Hubert.
Like many districts of the city, Žižkov today is socioeconomically diverse. It is undergoing a renewal, with many older buildings being reconstructed and restored. New fashionable cafes and restaurants are appearing and property prices are increasing rapidly. The western part of Žižkov is still known for its high concentration of brothels, strip clubs and cheap bars. Žižkov is said to have the highest number of pubs
per capita of any city district
in Europe, with more than 300. Yet only a short distance away are nice apartments and a new shopping mall with expensive stores. The Palac Akropolis is recognized as a center of cultural events in the area.
Two of Prague's most-visible landmarks are in Žižkov: the National Monument, with its giant statue of Jan Žižka on horseback (by Bohumil Kafka, it is the largest equestrian statue in the world); and the 216 meter-high Žižkov Television Tower
, Prague's tallest structure. The very large Olšany Cemetery
also takes up much of the district. The adjacent New Jewish Cemetery
, one of two historic Jewish burial places in the district (the other being the Žižkov Cemetery next to the Žižkov Tower), contains the grave of Czech-German writer Franz Kafka
.
On Churchill Square, near the main railway station, is the Prague University of Economics
and the General Pension Establishment, dating from 1934 and designed by Havlíček and Honzík
.
Žižkov also contains several beautiful parks. Among the most popular include the Holy Cross Hill, Vitkov, the park at the Židovských furnace, and the newly renovated Paradise Garden.
Prague's biggest Carnival
celebration (called Masopust is Czech) is annually held in Žižkov. It, and the wine harvest festival, attract tens of thousands of visitors each year.
Žižkov is served by many tram and bus routes. It is also not far from the Green Line (Line A
) of the Prague Metro
.
in 1358 to establish vineyards around Prague within a radius of about three miles. Residents of the hor viničních (“vineyard hills”) were given special rights, which were confirmed by other sovereigns, such as exemption from taxes.
A village named Hory Viničné, whose economy was centered on vineyards on the slopes of Vitkov Hill, was first mentioned in 1788. Other vineyard settlements, such as Hrabovka, Ohrada, Parukářka, and Pražačka, would disappear in the course of the 19th century, but they are remembered in local names. According to a census in 1837, the district (including present-day Žižkov and Vinohrady
) had a total of 66 houses and estates with 169 inhabitants and 216 head of livestock.
In 1679 and 1680, and again between 1713 and 1716, major plague epidemics broke out in Prague. So many citizens of Prague were killed, that in 1680 new cemeteries needed to be established outside the city walls. The city authorities specified that these cemeteries be able to accommodate one thousand burials. Cemeteries were founded by the town councils of the Old Town, New Town, and Jewish Quarter near the village of Olšany (or Volšan), in present-day Žižkov. The Old Town cemetery eventually became the heart of today's Olšany Cemetery. The Old Jewish Cemetery of Žižkov still exists, as a part of the Mahler Gardens (Czech: Mahlerovy sady) adjacent to the Žižkov Television Tower.
The New Town cemetery, to the east of the Žižkov Jewish Cemetery, is no longer extant. Originally measuring about 50 by 100 m, this cemetery became the official cemetery of Prague's New Town in 1713. During the French occupation of Prague in 1741 and 1742, approximately 6000 to 7000 bodies of French soldiers were buried there in shaft graves. In 1771, a large influenza epidemic, enhanced by famine, led to over 2000 people being buried in the cemetery that year. In 1839 the cemetery, already having a high concentration of burials in a small area (over 8,000), was closed. When Tchaikovsky Street was built in 1957, a large number of skeletal remains from the former cemetery were found.
In June 1849 the whole area received the name Vinohrady. In 1867, Emperor Franz Joseph I
renamed it Královská Vinohradská (Czech for Royal Vineyards, Königlich Weinberg in German).
After the middle of the 19th century, Prague went through tremendous growth. Construction near Prague’s city walls, however, was discouraged by the military administration, which enforced the demolition of buildings close to the fortifications because they threatened to allow a breach of the walls in the event of war. After Austria’s defeat in the Austro-Prussian War
of 1866, Prague was declared an open city and, after lengthy negotiations, the municipality of Prague began with the cutting of the walls in 1874. The area near Vitkov received the majority of the railways, allowing the smooth connection of Prague and Žižkov.
Žižkov, drawing on the advantage of its proximity to Prague, experienced extensive development. Earlier, as indicated by census figures, population growth in present-day Žižkov was slow and steady in the mid-19th century: 83 residents in 1843, 197 in 1850, 268 in 1857, and 292 in 1869. After 1865, however, development began in the space between Vitkov hill and Holy Cross (Sv. Kříže) hill and the population increased rapidly. By the 1880s, Žižkov had become a large town with 21,212 inhabitants. Another population census in 1890 counted 42,000 people in more than 750 houses!
On 16 July 1875 the Regional Committee, despite the opposition of the municipal council, divided Královské Vinohrady into two parts: Vinohrady I and Vinohrady II. The name Žižkov was officially accepted for Vinohrady I in August 1877, instead of the name Rudolfov in honor of the Austrian crown prince. Vinohrady II became Královské Vinohrady that same year. The first mayor of Žižkov was Charles Hartig, who is credited with the naming of streets, squares and houses after famous Czechs from Jan Hus
to Komensky. On 15 May 1881, Emperor Franz Josef I promoted Žižkov to the status of a city.
By 1920 almost the whole district was developed; only the Ohrada area was newly built at that time. Žižkov also became one of the first neighborhoods outside of the historic city center to be connected to the tram system. The independent city of Žižkov was eventually incorporated into Prague in January 1922.
Although 19th-century Žižkov is regarded as a proletarian neighborhood, there was also industry there. The largest factory, producing matches, was founded by French entrepreneurs Sellier and Bellot at Parukářce at the time of the emergence of the city. At the beginning of the First Republic
, there were smaller factories - Papírografie on Vápence, the Strejc and Nosek precision machine plants, and a number of workshops on Kněžských lukách. Small business were often hidden in the courtyards of the residential buildings.
In the early 20th century, Žižkov developed into the "Bohemian
" part of Prague, with many artists living or performing there. Writers Jaroslav Hašek
(1883–1923) and Franta Sauer (1882–1947) wrote many of their works in Žižkov. In the 1980s, the cornerstone of a monument to Hašek was ceremonially laid on Olšanského Square, though the monument itself was eventually built on Prokopová Square. Also, poet Jaroslav Seifert
(1901–1986), winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature
in 1984, was born and spent most of his life in Žižkov.
At the end of World War I
, the circle of the Bohemian writers originated the concept of the Žižkov Free Republic resistance movement. This concept was remembered by the mayor of Prague 3, Milan Český, on 25 July 2001 when the Ambassador of the European Union
in the Czech Republic, Ramiro Cibrian, officially visited the city. In the spirit of the resistance, Cibrian symbolically invited Žižkov into the EU.
During the second world war Žižkov was an area of considerable activity on the part of the Czech resistance movement. This was emphasised when the Reinhard Heydrich
assassination parachutists were looked after by families within the area. In particular, to this day plaques can be seen to the Moravec family on Biskupcova 7 and Jan Zelinky (almost opposite) on Biskupcova 4.
In the 1970s, the communist city government of Prague developed plans to completely rebuild the district. The narrow streets were to be widened and the old tenements replaced by precast-concrete apartment blocks. These plans, however, were repeatedly postponed and eventually discarded after the overthrow of communism in 1989.
After the Velvet Revolution
, often in connection with the restitution of houses, reconstruction and rehabilitation began in Žižkov. While many houses have since been renovated, the look of the neighborhood has not changed much.
of infants mounting an assault on the tower.
is the largest bronze equestrian statue in the world. The idea for the monument existed as early as 1877, but construction did not begin until 1928. A major inauguration ceremony was planned for 1938, but had to be postponed due to the Munich Agreement
. The monument was only completed after World War II, but with additional elements added by Czechoslovakia’s communist rulers. In 1953, they had deceased head of state Klement Gottwald
embalmed and buried in a mausoleum behind the monument. The embalming of Gottwald failed, however, and the corpse was eventually cremated in 1962. A museum opened there in October 2009.
monuments.
and the monument to artist Max Horb by Jan Štursa
in the form of a mourning peacock. Notable burials include writer Franz Kafka
.
.jpg)
, founded in 1903. Viktoria's home ground is FK Viktoria Stadion
in Žižkov. Other famous clubs included AFK Union Žižkov
(the Czechoslovak Amateur champion of 1925), Werkself SS Plincner (Central Bohemian Cup finalists of 1941), and Čechie Žižkov. Under the communist regime, numerous football pitches disappeared in the course of development and with them the local clubs. Only Viktoria and Union still exist today.
The neighborhood also has a swimming pool, recently renovated with the support of the Prague 3 administration. There are also several boxing clubs.
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
, Czech Republic. Most of Žižkov lies in the municipal and administrative district of Prague 3
Prague 3
Prague 3 , is a second-tier municipality in Prague. It is identical to the national administrative district of the same name....
, except for very small parts which are in Prague 8
Prague 8
Prague 8 is a municipal district in Prague, Czech Republic.The administrative district of the same name consists of municipal districts Prague 8, Březiněves, Ďáblice and Dolní Chabry.- External links :*...
and Prague 10
Prague 10
Prague 10 is both a municipal and administrative district in Prague, Czech Republic.- External links :*...
. Prior to 1922, Žižkov was an independent city.
The district is named after Hussite
Hussite
The Hussites were a Christian movement following the teachings of Czech reformer Jan Hus , who became one of the forerunners of the Protestant Reformation...
military leader Jan Žižka
Jan Žižka
Jan Žižka z Trocnova a Kalicha , Czech general and Hussite leader, follower of Jan Hus, was born at small village Trocnov in Bohemia, into a gentried family. He was nicknamed "One-eyed Žižka"...
. It is situated south of Vitkov
Vítkov
Vítkov is a name of several places in the Czech Republic:* Vítkov , town in the Moravian-Silesian Region * Vítkov, a hill in Prague, place of the Battle of Vítkov Hill** Battle of Vítkov Hill, a part of the Hussite Wars...
hill, site of the Battle of Vitkov Hill
Battle of Vítkov Hill
The Battle of Vítkov Hill was a part of the Hussite Wars. The battle pitted the forces of Emperor Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor against Hussite forces under command of Jan Žižka...
on 14 July 1420, where Žižka's peasant army decisively defeated the forces of Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor
Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor
Sigismund of Luxemburg KG was King of Hungary, of Croatia from 1387 to 1437, of Bohemia from 1419, and Holy Roman Emperor for four years from 1433 until 1437, the last Emperor of the House of Luxemburg. He was also King of Italy from 1431, and of Germany from 1411...
.
General character of the neighborhood
Žižkov was historically a working-class district, and was sometimes referred to as "Red Žižkov", because so many of its inhabitants supported left-wing parties. Before World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, it had a reputation as a rough area. This reputation spread across the whole former Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
and it was still possible to trace it amongst the people many decades later.
The Žižkovians were very proud of their bad reputation and up to this day they tend to refer to their neighbourhood as the "The free republic of Žižkov". This sentiment was very often a source of inspiration for novelists or film makers. This was captured in a humorous novel by Vlastimil Rada and Jaroslav Žák, Z tajností žižkovského podsvětí ("Secrets of the Žižkov Underground"), and in a 1985 film by Ivo Novák, Fešák Hubert.
Like many districts of the city, Žižkov today is socioeconomically diverse. It is undergoing a renewal, with many older buildings being reconstructed and restored. New fashionable cafes and restaurants are appearing and property prices are increasing rapidly. The western part of Žižkov is still known for its high concentration of brothels, strip clubs and cheap bars. Žižkov is said to have the highest number of pubs
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
per capita of any city district
City district
City district is a type of administrative division of Pakistan and Croatia.It is also the English translation of German Stadtbezirk and Swedish Stadsdel.-See also:*City Districts of Pakistan...
in Europe, with more than 300. Yet only a short distance away are nice apartments and a new shopping mall with expensive stores. The Palac Akropolis is recognized as a center of cultural events in the area.
Two of Prague's most-visible landmarks are in Žižkov: the National Monument, with its giant statue of Jan Žižka on horseback (by Bohumil Kafka, it is the largest equestrian statue in the world); and the 216 meter-high Žižkov Television Tower
Žižkov Television Tower
The Žižkov Television Tower is a unique transmitter tower built in Prague between 1985 and 1992. Designed by architect Václav Aulický and structural engineer Jiří Kozák, it stands high above the city's traditional skyline from its position on top of a hill in the district of Žižkov, from which it...
, Prague's tallest structure. The very large Olšany Cemetery
Olšany Cemetery
Olšany Cemetery is the largest graveyard in Prague, Czech Republic, once having as many as two million burials. The cemetery is particularly noted for its many remarkable art nouveau monuments.- History :...
also takes up much of the district. The adjacent New Jewish Cemetery
New Jewish Cemetery
The New Jewish Cemetery in Prague was established in 1891 to relieve the space problem at the Old Jewish Cemetery, Prague. It is about 10 times bigger than the Old Jewish Cemetery and provides space for approximately 100 000 graves, therefore having the capacity to serve for a whole century...
, one of two historic Jewish burial places in the district (the other being the Žižkov Cemetery next to the Žižkov Tower), contains the grave of Czech-German writer Franz Kafka
Franz Kafka
Franz Kafka was a culturally influential German-language author of short stories and novels. Contemporary critics and academics, including Vladimir Nabokov, regard Kafka as one of the best writers of the 20th century...
.
On Churchill Square, near the main railway station, is the Prague University of Economics
University of Economics, Prague
The University of Economics, Prague, is a public university located in Prague, Czech Republic. It is the largest university in the field of economics, business and information technologies in the Czech Republic with almost 20,000 students in its bachelor, masters and doctoral programmes.-Schools...
and the General Pension Establishment, dating from 1934 and designed by Havlíček and Honzík
Devetsil
The Devětsil was an association of Czech avant-garde artists, founded in 1920 in Prague. From 1923 on there was also an active group in Brno. The movement discontinued its activities in 1930 ....
.
Žižkov also contains several beautiful parks. Among the most popular include the Holy Cross Hill, Vitkov, the park at the Židovských furnace, and the newly renovated Paradise Garden.
Prague's biggest Carnival
Carnival
Carnaval is a festive season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February. Carnaval typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus, mask and public street party...
celebration (called Masopust is Czech) is annually held in Žižkov. It, and the wine harvest festival, attract tens of thousands of visitors each year.
Žižkov is served by many tram and bus routes. It is also not far from the Green Line (Line A
Line A (Prague Metro)
Line A is a line of the Prague Metro, serving the Czech Republic capital. Chronologically the second line in the system, it was first opened in 1978 and has expanded mostly during the 1980s...
) of the Prague Metro
Prague Metro
The Prague Metro is a subway, underground public transportation network in Prague, Czech Republic. It is the fastest means of transportation around the city and serves about one and a half million passengers a day, which makes it the seventh busiest metro system in Europe and the most-used in the...
.
History
The present-day district of Žižkov was originally part of the sparsely populated countryside outside of Prague. Change came through the decision of Emperor Charles IVCharles IV, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles IV , born Wenceslaus , was the second king of Bohemia from the House of Luxembourg, and the first king of Bohemia to also become Holy Roman Emperor....
in 1358 to establish vineyards around Prague within a radius of about three miles. Residents of the hor viničních (“vineyard hills”) were given special rights, which were confirmed by other sovereigns, such as exemption from taxes.
A village named Hory Viničné, whose economy was centered on vineyards on the slopes of Vitkov Hill, was first mentioned in 1788. Other vineyard settlements, such as Hrabovka, Ohrada, Parukářka, and Pražačka, would disappear in the course of the 19th century, but they are remembered in local names. According to a census in 1837, the district (including present-day Žižkov and Vinohrady
Vinohrady
Vinohrady is a cadastral district in Prague. It is so named because the area was once covered in vineyards dating from the 14th century...
) had a total of 66 houses and estates with 169 inhabitants and 216 head of livestock.
In 1679 and 1680, and again between 1713 and 1716, major plague epidemics broke out in Prague. So many citizens of Prague were killed, that in 1680 new cemeteries needed to be established outside the city walls. The city authorities specified that these cemeteries be able to accommodate one thousand burials. Cemeteries were founded by the town councils of the Old Town, New Town, and Jewish Quarter near the village of Olšany (or Volšan), in present-day Žižkov. The Old Town cemetery eventually became the heart of today's Olšany Cemetery. The Old Jewish Cemetery of Žižkov still exists, as a part of the Mahler Gardens (Czech: Mahlerovy sady) adjacent to the Žižkov Television Tower.
The New Town cemetery, to the east of the Žižkov Jewish Cemetery, is no longer extant. Originally measuring about 50 by 100 m, this cemetery became the official cemetery of Prague's New Town in 1713. During the French occupation of Prague in 1741 and 1742, approximately 6000 to 7000 bodies of French soldiers were buried there in shaft graves. In 1771, a large influenza epidemic, enhanced by famine, led to over 2000 people being buried in the cemetery that year. In 1839 the cemetery, already having a high concentration of burials in a small area (over 8,000), was closed. When Tchaikovsky Street was built in 1957, a large number of skeletal remains from the former cemetery were found.
In June 1849 the whole area received the name Vinohrady. In 1867, Emperor Franz Joseph I
Franz Joseph I of Austria
Franz Joseph I or Francis Joseph I was Emperor of Austria, King of Bohemia, King of Croatia, Apostolic King of Hungary, King of Galicia and Lodomeria and Grand Duke of Cracow from 1848 until his death in 1916.In the December of 1848, Emperor Ferdinand I of Austria abdicated the throne as part of...
renamed it Královská Vinohradská (Czech for Royal Vineyards, Königlich Weinberg in German).
After the middle of the 19th century, Prague went through tremendous growth. Construction near Prague’s city walls, however, was discouraged by the military administration, which enforced the demolition of buildings close to the fortifications because they threatened to allow a breach of the walls in the event of war. After Austria’s defeat in the Austro-Prussian War
Austro-Prussian War
The Austro-Prussian War was a war fought in 1866 between the German Confederation under the leadership of the Austrian Empire and its German allies on one side and the Kingdom of Prussia with its German allies and Italy on the...
of 1866, Prague was declared an open city and, after lengthy negotiations, the municipality of Prague began with the cutting of the walls in 1874. The area near Vitkov received the majority of the railways, allowing the smooth connection of Prague and Žižkov.
Žižkov, drawing on the advantage of its proximity to Prague, experienced extensive development. Earlier, as indicated by census figures, population growth in present-day Žižkov was slow and steady in the mid-19th century: 83 residents in 1843, 197 in 1850, 268 in 1857, and 292 in 1869. After 1865, however, development began in the space between Vitkov hill and Holy Cross (Sv. Kříže) hill and the population increased rapidly. By the 1880s, Žižkov had become a large town with 21,212 inhabitants. Another population census in 1890 counted 42,000 people in more than 750 houses!
On 16 July 1875 the Regional Committee, despite the opposition of the municipal council, divided Královské Vinohrady into two parts: Vinohrady I and Vinohrady II. The name Žižkov was officially accepted for Vinohrady I in August 1877, instead of the name Rudolfov in honor of the Austrian crown prince. Vinohrady II became Královské Vinohrady that same year. The first mayor of Žižkov was Charles Hartig, who is credited with the naming of streets, squares and houses after famous Czechs from Jan Hus
Jan Hus
Jan Hus , often referred to in English as John Hus or John Huss, was a Czech priest, philosopher, reformer, and master at Charles University in Prague...
to Komensky. On 15 May 1881, Emperor Franz Josef I promoted Žižkov to the status of a city.
Although 19th-century Žižkov is regarded as a proletarian neighborhood, there was also industry there. The largest factory, producing matches, was founded by French entrepreneurs Sellier and Bellot at Parukářce at the time of the emergence of the city. At the beginning of the First Republic
Czechoslovak Republic (1918–1938)
The First Czechoslovak Republic , refers to the first Czechoslovak state that existed from 1918 to 1938. The state was commonly called Czechoslovakia . It was composed of Bohemia, Moravia, Czech Silesia, Slovakia and Subcarpathian Ruthenia...
, there were smaller factories - Papírografie on Vápence, the Strejc and Nosek precision machine plants, and a number of workshops on Kněžských lukách. Small business were often hidden in the courtyards of the residential buildings.
In the early 20th century, Žižkov developed into the "Bohemian
Bohemianism
Bohemianism is the practice of an unconventional lifestyle, often in the company of like-minded people, with few permanent ties, involving musical, artistic or literary pursuits...
" part of Prague, with many artists living or performing there. Writers Jaroslav Hašek
Jaroslav Hašek
Jaroslav Hašek was a Czech humorist, satirist, writer and socialist anarchist best known for his novel The Good Soldier Švejk, an unfinished collection of farcical incidents about a soldier in World War I and a satire on the ineptitude of authority figures, which has been translated into sixty...
(1883–1923) and Franta Sauer (1882–1947) wrote many of their works in Žižkov. In the 1980s, the cornerstone of a monument to Hašek was ceremonially laid on Olšanského Square, though the monument itself was eventually built on Prokopová Square. Also, poet Jaroslav Seifert
Jaroslav Seifert
Jaroslav Seifert was a Nobel Prize winning Czech writer, poet and journalist.Born in Žižkov, a suburb of Prague in what was then part of Austria-Hungary, his first collection of poems was published in 1921...
(1901–1986), winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature
Nobel Prize in Literature
Since 1901, the Nobel Prize in Literature has been awarded annually to an author from any country who has, in the words from the will of Alfred Nobel, produced "in the field of literature the most outstanding work in an ideal direction"...
in 1984, was born and spent most of his life in Žižkov.
At the end of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, the circle of the Bohemian writers originated the concept of the Žižkov Free Republic resistance movement. This concept was remembered by the mayor of Prague 3, Milan Český, on 25 July 2001 when the Ambassador of the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
in the Czech Republic, Ramiro Cibrian, officially visited the city. In the spirit of the resistance, Cibrian symbolically invited Žižkov into the EU.
During the second world war Žižkov was an area of considerable activity on the part of the Czech resistance movement. This was emphasised when the Reinhard Heydrich
Reinhard Heydrich
Reinhard Tristan Eugen Heydrich , also known as The Hangman, was a high-ranking German Nazi official.He was SS-Obergruppenführer and General der Polizei, chief of the Reich Main Security Office and Stellvertretender Reichsprotektor of Bohemia and Moravia...
assassination parachutists were looked after by families within the area. In particular, to this day plaques can be seen to the Moravec family on Biskupcova 7 and Jan Zelinky (almost opposite) on Biskupcova 4.
In the 1970s, the communist city government of Prague developed plans to completely rebuild the district. The narrow streets were to be widened and the old tenements replaced by precast-concrete apartment blocks. These plans, however, were repeatedly postponed and eventually discarded after the overthrow of communism in 1989.
After the Velvet Revolution
Velvet Revolution
The Velvet Revolution or Gentle Revolution was a non-violent revolution in Czechoslovakia that took place from November 17 – December 29, 1989...
, often in connection with the restitution of houses, reconstruction and rehabilitation began in Žižkov. While many houses have since been renovated, the look of the neighborhood has not changed much.
Significant sights
Žižkov Television Tower
The Žižkov Television Tower (Žižkovský vysílač) is a uniquely-designed tower built in Žižkov between 1985 and 1992. According to the design of architect Václav Aulický, it consists of three concrete pillars that carry cabinets for the transmitters, a restaurant and cafe, and three observation rooms. The tower is 216 metres (708.7 ft) high, with the observation decks at a height of 100 metres (328.1 ft) and the tower restaurant and cafe situated at 63 metres (206.7 ft). Located near the border with Vinohrady, it is surrounded by the Mahler Gardens. In 2000, it was decorated with surrealist sculptures by David ČernýDavid Cerný
David Černý is a Jewish - Czech sculptor whose works can be seen in many locations in Prague. His works tend to be controversial. He gained notoriety in 1991 by painting a Soviet tank pink that served as a war memorial in central Prague...
of infants mounting an assault on the tower.
National Monument
The National Monument was established on Vítkov Hill in 1950. The 9-meter high and 16.5-ton monument to Jan Žižka by Bohumil KafkaBohumil Kafka
Bohumil Kafka was a Czech sculptor and pedagogue, born February 14, 1878 in Nova Paka, Bohemia and died on November 24, 1942.He studied in Prague with sculptor Josef Václav Myslbek before moving to Vienna and then Paris to continue his studies. He worked in London, Berlin and Rome before...
is the largest bronze equestrian statue in the world. The idea for the monument existed as early as 1877, but construction did not begin until 1928. A major inauguration ceremony was planned for 1938, but had to be postponed due to the Munich Agreement
Munich Agreement
The Munich Pact was an agreement permitting the Nazi German annexation of Czechoslovakia's Sudetenland. The Sudetenland were areas along Czech borders, mainly inhabited by ethnic Germans. The agreement was negotiated at a conference held in Munich, Germany, among the major powers of Europe without...
. The monument was only completed after World War II, but with additional elements added by Czechoslovakia’s communist rulers. In 1953, they had deceased head of state Klement Gottwald
Klement Gottwald
Klement Gottwald was a Czechoslovakian Communist politician, longtime leader of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia , prime minister and president of Czechoslovakia.-Early life:...
embalmed and buried in a mausoleum behind the monument. The embalming of Gottwald failed, however, and the corpse was eventually cremated in 1962. A museum opened there in October 2009.
Olšany Cemetery
Olšany Cemetery in Žižkov is the largest graveyard in Prague. The cemetery is particularly noted for its many remarkable art nouveauArt Nouveau
Art Nouveau is an international philosophy and style of art, architecture and applied art—especially the decorative arts—that were most popular during 1890–1910. The name "Art Nouveau" is French for "new art"...
monuments.
New Jewish Cemetery
The New Jewish Cemetery in Žižkov was established in 1891. The cemetery is noted for its many art nouveau monuments, among them, two monuments for members of the Perutz family by Jan KoteraJan Kotera
Jan Kotěra was a Czech architect, artist and interior designer, and one of the key figures of modern architecture in Bohemia.-Biography:...
and the monument to artist Max Horb by Jan Štursa
Jan Štursa
Jan Štursa was a Czech sculptor, one of founders of modern Czech sculpture.- Birth and studies :...
in the form of a mourning peacock. Notable burials include writer Franz Kafka
Franz Kafka
Franz Kafka was a culturally influential German-language author of short stories and novels. Contemporary critics and academics, including Vladimir Nabokov, regard Kafka as one of the best writers of the 20th century...
.
Churches of Žižkov
- Church of Saint ProcopiusChurch of Saint Procopius, ŽižkovSt. Procopius Church is the parish church of the district of Žižkov in Prague, Czech Republic. Dedicated to the patron saint of Bohemia, Procopius of Sázava, the three-aisled Neo-Gothic church, located at Sladkovského Square on Seifertova Street, was designed by Bohemian architects Josef Mocker ...
- Dedicated to St. Procopius of SázavaProcopius of SázavaSaint Procopius of Sázava was a Czech saint. He studied at Prague where he was also ordained. He was a canon and a hermit and then became the founding abbot of Sázava near Prague. He is an alleged author of the Reims Gospel....
, this three-aisled neo-Gothic church is located at Sladkovského Square in Žižkov. It was designed by BohemiaBohemiaBohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
n architects Josef MockerJosef MockerJosef Mocker was a Bohemian architect and restorer who worked in a purist Gothic Revival style.- Overview :...
and František Mikš. The foundation stone was ceremonially laid on 30 October 1898 on the 50th anniversary of the reign of Franz Joseph I of AustriaFranz Joseph I of AustriaFranz Joseph I or Francis Joseph I was Emperor of Austria, King of Bohemia, King of Croatia, Apostolic King of Hungary, King of Galicia and Lodomeria and Grand Duke of Cracow from 1848 until his death in 1916.In the December of 1848, Emperor Ferdinand I of Austria abdicated the throne as part of...
. The church was consecrated in 1903. The portal over the north entrance has a relief with the Madonna with the Infant Jesus in the middle and a kneeling St. Procopius on her right side. Over the west entrance is a relief of St. AdalbertAdalbert (mystic)Adalbert was a Gaullic preacher who lived in the 8th century. Adalbert claimed that an angel had conferred miraculous powers on him at his birth and that another had brought him relics of great sanctity from all parts of the earth...
. The church's tower is 72 metres (236.2 ft) high. Of the interior furnishings, the most famous is a painting by Karel ŠkrétaKarel ŠkrétaKarel Škréta or Carolus Creten was a Czech Baroque painter.- Biography :His full name is Karel Škréta Šotonovský ze Závořic. Karel learnt painting perhaps from one of the masters at the royal courtyard. He studied in Saxony and in Italy...
of St. WenceslausWenceslaus I, Duke of BohemiaWenceslaus I , or Wenceslas I, was the duke of Bohemia from 921 until his assassination in 935, purportedly in a plot by his own brother, Boleslav the Cruel....
defending Prague against the Swedes in 1649. - Church of Saint RochChurch of Saint Roch, ŽižkovThe Church of Saint Roch, located on Olšany Square , is the oldest church in present-day Žižkov, a cadastral district of Prague, Czech Republic...
, located on Olšanska Square (Czech: Olšanské náměstí), is the oldest church in present-day Žižkov. The Baroque structure was built between 1680 and 1682 by Jan Hainric, probably according to plans by the renowned architect Jean Baptiste MatheyJean Baptiste MatheyJean Baptiste Mathey was a French architect and painter born in Dijon.Between 1675 and 1694 Mathey enjoyed a remarkable career in which his French planning and devotion to classical rationality were a conscious artistic challenge to established taste.Mathey was commissioned by the Archbishop of...
. Dedicated to a patron saint of plague victims, the church was originally built as a plague chapel for the Old Town cemetery established during a plague epidemic which broke out in Prague in early 1680.
- The church’s shape is an elliptical dome (because of which the church is incorrectly called the Rotunda). Arcades stretch between the columns, supporting a gallery.The main Neo-Renaissance altar is the work of Antonin Baum and dates to 1879, when the church interior was restored and modified. In its center is a picture of an earlier period, the work of Ignác Raab in 1760, divided into two zones. At the top is the Virgin Mary as the Queen of Heaven with angels and at the bottom are patron saints invoked against plague epidemics: St. Roch, St. Sebastian, and St. Rosalia. The background of the image depicts the horror and destruction caused by the plague.
Sports
Before World War II, Žižkov had the highest density of football clubs in Prague with more than 20 teams. Probably the most well known club in the neighborhood is FK Viktoria ŽižkovFK Viktoria Žižkov
FK Viktoria Žižkov ranks among the oldest football clubs in the Czech Republic. It plays in the Gambrinus liga, the top level of football in the country.The team was founded by a group of students in 1903 in the town of Žižkov...
, founded in 1903. Viktoria's home ground is FK Viktoria Stadion
FK Viktoria Stadion
FK Viktoria Stadion is a multi-use stadium in Prague, Czech Republic. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home ground of FK Viktoria Žižkov. The stadium holds 5,600 people, all seated....
in Žižkov. Other famous clubs included AFK Union Žižkov
AFK Union Žižkov
AFK Union Žižkov is a football club in the Czech Republic. It was founded in 1907 in the town of Žižkov, which is now a district of Prague.- Historical names :* AFK Union Žižkov * ASK Union Žižkov * Sokol Union Žižkov...
(the Czechoslovak Amateur champion of 1925), Werkself SS Plincner (Central Bohemian Cup finalists of 1941), and Čechie Žižkov. Under the communist regime, numerous football pitches disappeared in the course of development and with them the local clubs. Only Viktoria and Union still exist today.
The neighborhood also has a swimming pool, recently renovated with the support of the Prague 3 administration. There are also several boxing clubs.