Černý Most () is a large panel housing estate in the north-east of Prague, belonging to Prague 14. At the end of 2013 it was home to 22,355 residents. As well as residential complexes, the area has a large retail park with the same name.

History

The area, whose name means "black bridge" in English, was named after a stone bridge over the nearby railway line from Prague to

Čelákovice Čelákovice () is a town in Prague-East District in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 12,000 inhabitants. The town is part of the Prague metropolitan area. Administrative parts Villages of Císařská Kuchyně, Sedl� ...

, which was blackened by smoke from passing steam locomotives. The area was newly formed from parts of the former suburbs of

Hloubětín Hloubětín (, german: Tiefenbach) is a district of Prague located from the centre, belonging mostly to Prague 9, with parts of it also belonging to Prague 14 and Prague 10. There were 10,704 people living in this area in 2001. The area, first r ...

, Kyje and Horní Počernice in 1987. It became a part of Prague on January 1, 1988. The housing estate was built during the late 1970s and the 1980s in several stages. The first section, ''sídliště Černý Most I'', was completed in 1980 and comprised 1,780 flats. The second section, ''sídliště Černý Most II'', was started in 1985 under the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic, but not completed until 1992 after the Velvet Revolution had ended

Communist Communism (from Latin la, communis, lit=common, universal, label=none) is a far-left sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology and current within the socialist movement whose goal is the establishment of a communist society, a s ...

rule. The streets were originally to be named after Communist officials, mostly from the Soviet Union. Instead they were named after Czechoslovak airmen who fought in the

French Air Force The French Air and Space Force (AAE) (french: Armée de l'air et de l'espace, ) is the air and space force of the French Armed Forces. It was the first military aviation force in history, formed in 1909 as the , a service arm of the French Army; ...

and

Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve The Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (RAFVR) was established in 1936 to support the preparedness of the U.K. Royal Air Force in the event of another war. The Air Ministry intended it to form a supplement to the Royal Auxiliary Air Force (RAuxAF ...

in World War II. They include: Vašátkova str, Prague Černý Most

* "Generála Janouška" – after Air Marshal

Karel Janoušek Karel Janoušek, (30 October 1893 – 27 October 1971) was a senior Czechoslovak Air Force officer. He began his career as a soldier, serving in the Austrian Imperial-Royal Landwehr 1915–16, Czechoslovak Legion 1916–20 and Czechoslovak Army ...

, * "Bryksova" – after Flight Lieutenant Josef Bryks, * "Dygrýnova" – after Flight Sergeant Josef Dygrýn, * "Františkova" – after Flight Sergeant Josef František, * "Himrova" – after Staff Captain Jaroslav Himr, * "Kuttelwascherova" – after Squadron Leader

Karel Kuttelwascher Karel Miloslav Kuttelwascher DFC and Bar (23 September 1916 – 17 August 1959) was a Czech fighter pilot, and a flying ace of the UK's Royal Air Force (RAF) in the Second World War. He was in combat service from May 1940 to October 1942, firs ...

, * "Mansfeldova" – after Squadron Leader

Miloslav Mansfeld Miloslav Mansfeld (14 December 1912 – 22 October 1991) was a Czechoslovak fighter pilot who became a flying ace in the UK's Royal Air Force (RAF) in the Second World War. Mansfeld was a Czechoslovak Air Force pilot in the 1930s, flying init ...

, * "Smikova" – after Squadron Leader

Otto Smik Otto Smik DFC (20 January 1922 – 28 November 1944) was a Czechoslovak pilot who became a fighter ace in the Royal Air Force. He joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve in July 1940 and was in training until the end of 1942. Between Ma ...

, * "Arnošta Valenty" – after Flying Officer Arnošt Valenta, * "Vašátková" – after Wing Commander

Alois Vašátko Alois Vašátko DFC (25 August 1908 – 23 June 1942) was a Czechoslovak artillery officer who became an air force pilot. In the Second World War he was a fighter ace, first in the French Air Force in the Battle of France and then in the Ro ...

Today

The estate is served by the last two Prague Metro stations on Line B, Rajská zahrada and Černý Most, the latter of which is adjacent to a large intercity bus station. There are two smaller Park and ride facilities near both metro stations. The area is also home to a shopping centre, Centrum Černý Most.

History

Today

In popular culture

References

External links