Kampa (also ''Na Kampě'') is an
island
An island (or isle) is an isolated piece of habitat that is surrounded by a dramatically different habitat, such as water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, skerries, cays or keys. An island ...
in the
Vltava
Vltava ( , ; german: Moldau ) is the longest river in the Czech Republic, running southeast along the Bohemian Forest and then north across Bohemia, through Český Krumlov, České Budějovice and Prague, and finally merging with the Labe at M ...
river
A river is a natural flowing watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, sea, lake or another river. In some cases, a river flows into the ground and becomes dry at the end of its course without reaching another body of wate ...
in central
Prague
Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 million people. The city has a temperate ...
on the side of
Malá Strana
Malá Strana (Czech for "Little Side (of the River)", ) or more formally Menší Město pražské () is a district of the city of Prague, Czech Republic, and one of its most historic neighbourhoods.
In the Middle Ages, it was a dominant center o ...
.
Charles Bridge
Charles Bridge ( cs, Karlův most ) is a medieval stone arch bridge that crosses the Vltava river in Prague, Czech Republic. Its construction started in 1357 under the auspices of King Charles IV, and finished in the early 15th century.; The ...
crosses its northern tip and is connected to the island by the street ulice Na Kampě. It is separated from Malá Strana by a narrow artificial channel to the west called the ''Devil's Stream'' (
Čertovka
The Čertovka (''Devil's Canal''), sometimes also called ''Little Prague Venice'' in English, is a canal in Prague, the Czech Republic.
The canal is situated in the Lesser Quarter (''Malá Strana''). The Čertovka takes its water from the Vltava ...
), a waterway dug to power water mills (no longer existent). It is supposedly named after a sharp-tongued woman who lived in a local home called the Seven Devils.
[Levine, Dan. ''Avant Guide Prague'' New York: Empire Press Media, 2001.]
The area was named in the 17th century as the ''campus'' ("field") by Spanish soldiers who tented here during the
Battle of White Mountain
), near Prague, Bohemian Confederation(present-day Czech Republic)
, coordinates =
, territory =
, result = Imperial-Spanish victory
, status =
, combatants_header =
, combatant1 = Catholic L ...
.
Museum Kampa
Kampa is home to
Museum Kampa
Museum Kampa is a modern art gallery in Prague, Czech Republic, showing Central European, and in particular Czech work. The pieces are from the private collection of Meda Mládek, wife of Jan V. Mládek.
The museum opened in 2003 and is housed ...
, a modern art gallery showing central European (and in particular
Czech
Czech may refer to:
* Anything from or related to the Czech Republic, a country in Europe
** Czech language
** Czechs, the people of the area
** Czech culture
** Czech cuisine
* One of three mythical brothers, Lech, Czech, and Rus'
Places
* Czech, ...
) work. The pieces are from the private collection of Meda Mládek, wife of
Jan V. Mládek. The museum, which opened in 2003, is housed in ''Sova's Mills'' on the eastern bank of the island. Magdalena Jetelova's huge chair sculpture, situated outside the museum above the river, is a prominent landmark visible from across the Vltava.
References
External links
Museum Kampa website Radio Praha article on the Jetlova Chair
Art gallery districts
Geography of Prague
River islands of the Czech Republic
Vltava
Malá Strana
{{Prague-geo-stub