Černý Most (, lit. 'Black Bridge') is a large panel

housing estate A housing estate (or sometimes housing complex, housing development, subdivision (land), subdivision or community) is a group of homes and other buildings built together as a single development. The exact form may vary from country to count ...

in the north-east of

Prague Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...

, 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. Administrative division Čelákovice consists of four municipal parts (in brackets population according to the ...

, which was blackened by smoke from passing steam locomotives. The area was newly formed from parts of the former suburbs of Hloubětín, 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 The Czechoslovak Socialist Republic, (Czech language, Czech and Slovak language, Slovak: ''Československá socialistická republika'', ČSSR) known from 1948 to 1960 as the Czechoslovak Republic (''Československá republika)'', Fourth Czecho ...

, but not completed until 1992 after the

Velvet Revolution The Velvet Revolution () or Gentle Revolution () was a non-violent transition of power in what was then Czechoslovakia, occurring from 17 November to 28 November 1989. Popular demonstrations against the one-party government of the Communist Pa ...

had ended

Communist Communism () is a sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology within the socialist movement, whose goal is the creation of a communist society, a socioeconomic order centered on common ownership of the means of production, di ...

rule. The streets were originally to be named after Communist officials, mostly from the

Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

. Instead they were named after Czechoslovak airmen who fought in the

French Air Force The French Air and Space Force (, , ) is the air force, air and space force of the French Armed Forces. Formed in 1909 as the ("Aeronautical Service"), a service arm of the French Army, it became an independent military branch in 1934 as the Fr ...

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 (RAF) in the event of another war. The Air Ministry intended it to form a supplement to the Royal Auxiliary Air Force ( ...

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. They include: * "Generála Janouška" – after Air Marshal Karel Janoušek, * "Bryksova" – after Flight Lieutenant

Josef Bryks Josef Bryks, Order of the British Empire#Current classes, MBE, (; 18 March 1916– 11 August 1957) was a First Czechoslovak Republic, Czechoslovak Cavalry, cavalryman, fighter pilot, prisoner of war and political prisoner. In 1940 he escaped th ...

, * "Dygrýnova" – after Flight Sergeant Josef Dygrýn, * "Františkova" – after Flight Sergeant Josef František, * "Himrova" – after Staff Captain Jaroslav Himr, * "Kuttelwascherova" – after Squadron Leader Karel Kuttelwascher, * "Mansfeldova" – after Squadron Leader Miloslav Mansfeld, * "Smikova" – after Squadron Leader Otto Smik, * "Arnošta Valenty" – after Flying Officer Arnošt Valenta, * "Vašátková" – after Wing Commander

Alois Vašátko Alois Vašátko Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom), DFC (25 August 1908 – 23 June 1942) was a First Czechoslovak Republic, Czechoslovak artillery officer who became an air force pilot. In the World War II, Second World War he was a F ...

Demographics

Today

The estate is served by the last two

Prague Metro The Prague Metro () is the rapid transit network of Prague, Czech Republic. Founded in 1974, the system consists of three lines (Line A (Prague Metro), A, Line B (Prague Metro), B and Line C (Prague Metro), C) serving 61 stationsCounting the thre ...

stations on Line B, Rajská zahrada and

Černý Most Černý Most (, lit. 'Black Bridge') is a large panel building, 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 r ...

, the latter of which is adjacent to a large intercity bus station. There are two smaller

Park and ride A park and ride, also known as incentive parking or a commuter lot, is a parking lot with public transport connections that allows commuters and other people heading to city centres to leave their vehicles and transfer to a bus, Rail transport, r ...

facilities near both metro stations. The area is also home to a shopping centre, Centrum Černý Most.

History

Demographics

Today

In popular culture

References

External links