Kampa island in prague on the map. Kampa island in prague. What is personal data?

There is a wonderful place in Prague, which is rightly called the "Prague of Venice". To get there, you just need to go down from Charles Bridge up the stairs, located behind the amazing sculpture of the Knight Brunzvik. Buildings here seem to "grow" out of the water and are reflected in the smooth surface of the rivulet with a very unusual name - Devil. Who and when gave this name to the Vltava tributary is not known for certain, but, perhaps, everything was exactly as presented in one Czech legend.

According to this legend, the case was during the reign of Rudolph II. The river was then clear and transparent, and in its waters the laundresses, who lived nearby, washed the king's linen. One of them was quarrelsome and evil, it was her fault that there were constant quarrels between neighbors. Someone from the locals gave her the nickname "Devil", and soon the woman began to be called so by everyone in the district.

The laundress was not offended by such a nickname - on the contrary, she believed in her connection with evil spirits and even decided to decorate her house with images of devils. The artist who embodied this idea, instead of seven “planned” devils, painted 6, meaning by the seventh the hostess herself.

As a result, the woman became so popular that after her death an unusual name was given to the river, the waters of which were not calm.

As for the name of the island, its origin is associated with the defeat of Czech soldiers under the White Mountain by Spanish soldiers, who allegedly called it Campa.

The first inhabitants settled there in the 15th century and quickly turned the island into a blooming land with vineyards and fruit plantations.

When in 1561 there was a terrible fire that swept almost the whole of Prague, the island accepted everything that survived after the tragedy. Since the 16th century, Kampa has become the main residence of Prague artisans who bought the land of the island without fear of investing in such a shaky, according to the then rich project. Soon the island became a profitable place where numerous fairs were held, at which pottery craftsmen from all over the kingdom represented the fruits of their work.

Today Kampa is a wonderful corner of Prague, most of which is occupied by a park located between the bridges of Manes and the Legions. The splendor and uniqueness of the island is given by sights with an interesting history. One of them is the Cathedral of the Virgin Mary under the chain, belonging to the Order of Malta. Tourists also love the special street, which is so narrow that only one person can freely walk along it. How to meet each other oncoming passers-by? Very simple: a special traffic light controls the movement.

“Anna's House” is an equally popular place: the upper balcony of the building is associated with an interesting legend that appeared after the flooding of Kampa in 1892.

There is also an attraction on the island that is known to all fans of the legendary Beatles band.

A tour of Kampa can be even more exciting if you complement it with a mini-cruise in Chertovka, during which you can find out many more mysterious things connected with the history of the island.

The shores of the island of Kampa are washed by the waves of the Vltava on one side and Chertovka, the stream that separates the island from the Lesser Country, on the other. The little devil was created in the 12th century in order to set the mill wheel in motion. Therefore, the island of Kampa can be considered artificial. But his beauty is as real as you can imagine.

The devil got the name owl thanks to the “cute” (pay attention to the quotation marks) lady living next door to the house of the Seven Devils. The woman had such an evil language and character that thanks to this the house got such a name, and this nickname gradually became associated with the innocent tributary of the Vltava.

The use of the Devil for the movement of the mill wheel suggests that the first structures that arose in that territory were mills. Currently there are three mills and two, which still have mill wheels. The most famous is the Grand Prior 's mill with its fully restored wheel with an impressive height of 8 meters. It is depicted on many canvases that you admire in art galleries. In case you want to compare the paintings with reality, you can take a look at the mill artistic gaze from Charles Bridge.

You can be heard about Prague in Venice. Your search for gondolas will be futile, but the atmosphere is still amazing and unforgettable.

Kampa then and now

Would you live in the Middle Ages, you would only admire the gardens throughout the island. The park, made in the English style, has been preserved to this day in the southern part of Kampa, while in the northern part you can find renaissance buildings and a baroque palace.

The first structures that appeared here were the houses of masons and carpenters. Thus, they were given a convenient opportunity to observe the Charles Bridge and keep it in excellent condition. The area surrounded by these houses was previously regularly used as a market for pottery. It can be said that ceramic markets have traditionally been located throughout the Kampa island for centuries.

Kampa is one of the eight islands of Prague. He is considered the most beautiful and tourist of them. PragaTrips talks about Kampa Island and its attractions.

The appearance and history of the island

Kampa is formed by the Vltava and its tributary Chertovka - a small artificial channel. It was dug in the XII century by the monks of the Order of Malta, who were responsible for the Juditin Bridge - they repaired it and took a tax for maintenance. The Maltese built several mills for which they needed water, so they took their sleeve from the Vltava - this is how the island appeared. Of these mills, five have survived to this day, and two have even preserved the mill wheels.

They began to populate the island after they built the Charles Bridge - it replaced Juditin, which was destroyed by the flood. The first inhabitants of Kampa were masons and carpenters, whose duty it was to repair and renovate the new bridge. Until the middle of the 16th century, the island was planted with orchards and vineyards.

In 1541, a fire burned Mala Strana. At that time, land was brought to the island, charred logs and other material left over from the houses that could still be used for something remained. Thus formed the current coastline. Then they leveled the chaos, strengthened the island and began to build up again.

Rich people were afraid to build their residences and palaces near the side of the Vltava, which at any moment could flood the Kampa. Therefore, they sold the land to artisans - this is how a compact colony of jack-of-all-trades appeared on the Kamp, something like a work area. Ceramics fairs were often held on the market square, where potters from all over the Czech Kingdom gathered. Nowadays, for Christmas and other big holidays, festivities and fairs are also organized here - the tradition has been preserved.

At the end of the 18th century, the current name was assigned to the island, although it appeared much earlier. The main version of the origin is the Spanish word campa, which means camp. The fact is that once on the island, Spanish soldiers were camped. The name was legalized only in 1977.

Kampa Island Attractions

We have already talked about some interesting places and objects of the island, so here we mention them briefly and with links. About the rest - a little more.

An old mill with a wheel, which was also built by the hospitaliers. Worked until 1936, and now a restaurant has been opened in it. The wheel is still spinning - for entourage.


34 backlit yellow penguins made from waste and debris. They march along a special bridge, urging them to take care of the environment and spend resources wisely.


House “At Owls' Mills”.  One of the oldest farms on the island. There was not only a house with a mill, but also a tannery, and a sawmill. Then it was restored and placed inside the Kamp Museum.


Gallery of modern art, which contains the work of artists and sculptors of Central and Eastern Europe.


A huge chair, which, like the yellow penguins, stands near the Kamp Museum. The original chair was created by the sculptor Magdalena Etelova in the 80s, but the great flood of 2002 washed it off the Vltava gateway. A year later, the furniture returned and became even two meters higher: six against the previous four.

Crawling babies.  Huge, black, faceless babies that crawl through the Kampa Park near the Museum of Modern Art on the island of Kampa. Exactly the same climb the Zizkov TV tower. The author is the famous and shocking sculptor David Cerny.


The attraction of this house is the balcony. In 1892, the mistress Anna was saved from the flood. When the water came to the balcony itself, the woman saw an icon of the Virgin Mary floating on the water. Since there was still nothing to do, Anna began to ask the Mother of God to save the city from the flood. Water supposedly really receded - since then the icon has been installed above the balcony and is illuminated by a lamp.


A 20-meter bridge near the Velkoprzhevorskaya mill, which couples from around the world hung with castles - a symbol of indestructible love and devotion. Keys are usually thrown right into the water of Devil.


A three-story hexagonal palace in which the Czech government lodges high-ranking foreign guests - monarchs, presidents, prime ministers. For example, there lived the English queen, the Japanese emperor, the ruling couple of Spain.

The first parts of the palace were built after the fire of 1541, but almost nothing remained of those times. In 1620, an architect from Verona, Giovanni Alliprandi, was commissioned to make a reconstruction - this is how the hexagonal building appeared. In this palace, the Hussite leaders were sentenced to death after the Catholics defeated their army at White Mountain.

In 1791, Leopold II was crowned in the Liechtenstein Palace, and for this event the building was renovated and slightly redone. They built a grand staircase, a spacious hall, a neoclassical facade. The roof was made simpler, the attic towers were removed altogether, and the baroque portal was decorated with capitals and pilasters. So the palace received the features of classicism architecture.


In 1864, the Odkolkov family bought the building, which owned Owl mills and bakeries. An additional floor was built at them, and balconies from the Vltava side were added to the first level.

In the XX century, the building was first taken over by the municipality, and then by the government of Czechoslovakia. It was reconstructed several times, and the last major repair was needed after the 2002 flood.

In the old part of the Liechtenstein Palace, paintings on wooden ceilings were preserved. In newer interiors, you can admire the gilding of relief vaults, mosaic floors, and the remains of an old setting.

How to get to the Kampa Island in Prague

If you are walking from the side of the Stare Mesta, then the easiest way is to go to the end of Charles Bridge and go down the stairs to the island.

And if you are already in Mala Strana, you can get to the island by tram - the Ujezd and Hellichova stops. Both stop at daytime routes nos. 12, 15, 20, 22, 23 and night 97th.

Hello friends! When traveling in the Czech Republic, do not forget to look at the Kampa island in Prague. Even the locals admit - there were so many unusual and even strange events on the island that it could not do without ghosts. Goosebumps when I imagine a night on Camp. This is how you come across a whole army of penguins marching along the Vltava coast, and what to do?

Administrative district of Prague 1. Historical district.

Island history

The place was first mentioned in 1169.

To begin with, this island is artificial. No, to begin with, the island is not so easy to see on the map - it is not in the middle of the river and its coastline runs smoothly along the Vltava riverbed.

The Vltava had a small sleeve - the Stroug river. It now flows under the supports of the Charles Bridge. The river made a loop and returned to the Vltava again. In the XII century, the channel of the Stroogi changed - they dug an artificial canal, forcing water to work in mills.

There is a version that the resulting artificial island became the residence of the Prague millers.

Strange name

The island got its name back in 1770, but only in 1977 (!) Did it become official.

An interesting fact: the Czechs have preserved the old names of the houses “At the White Peacock”, “At the Rooster”, “At the Black Madonna”, which gives modern Prague a special touch, but at the same time they did not recognize the name of the island in the historical center of the city for 207 years.

And I was wondering what is the reason for such "inconsistency" of Czechs.

In ancient times, a military camp or garrison was located here. Did you also notice that there are no combinations of sounds characteristic of the Czech language in the name? The name could sound like vojenský tábor (military camp), bezpečnost (security) or Prague posádka (Prague garrison).

The sound word kampa rather resembles the words "rotunda", "karamba" or even "bullfight". The word is this. And the military who settled on the island were Spaniards. And translated from Spanish “campamento” (abbreviated kampa) - camp.

All this relates us to the cruel times of the division of the lands of Europe, the war of dynasties for power and influence, to the religious wars and to the 30-year war, as a result of which 1/3 of the European population died of starvation. The war, after which the countries recovered over 100 years.

Participated in this war: most of the Catholic principalities of Germany, Spain, united with Portugal, papal throne, Commonwealth; France, Sweden, Denmark, the Protestant principalities of Germany, Czech Republic, Transylvania, Venice, Savoy, the Republic of the United Provinces, England, Scotland, Russia and even the Ottoman Empire.

The first period of the 30-year war is called the Czech-Palatinate period and begins with the war in Bohemia, where the Protestant and Catholic Unions fight to the death. To the beginning of the war belongs also the Classical Rebellion on.

In 1620, a battle took place on the Vltava, near Prague. The battle took place at the national symbol of the Czech Republic - White Mountain. Protestants (the Czechs belonged to them) were completely defeated, and the Czech Republic lost its independence for 300 long years.

I think the Czechs did not feel much love for the Spaniards. Hence, such a rejection of the name of the island - Kampa.

But at the White Mountain in memory of that battle, a historical reconstruction is now underway, which you can get into and even participate in the battle. It is called that.

Isle

As I have already said, one side of it is washed by the Vltava River, the other part is limited by an artificial channel with a rather strange name - Devil.

In this regard, the residents of Prague, of course, also have their own story.

I recall the brave soldier Schweik - he had a story in store for every word. You can see these ... Czech storytellers.

So, on the island lived Aloisia Nemtseva, nicknamed Chertovka - either the miller, or the laundress, or the vicious old maid, or the mischievous beautiful girl ... And there were unkind rumors about her, as if Aloisia was wicked with evil spirits and her word causes damage.

But all these are rumors, the basis is the real story of a girl to whom I will return a little later, because everything can be simpler and the girl has nothing to do with the name: she lived for herself and lived. But the millers ... everyone knows what the hell is in friendship with them. And since there were a lot of mills on the island, this place is unclean, and the river where the devils are found is Chertovka.

Now the island has 5 mills and 2 wheels. One old wheel is still functioning, and a walking river bus goes to it.

If you look closely, then on one of the blades of the mill wheel you will notice a seated devil.

It is impossible to ride a ship around the island - the wheel is in the way, but if you take a boat, we saw them, then I think you can.

Near the wheel of the oldest mill is the Bridge of lovers. The railing of the bridge is hung with locks, with which lovers "lock" their love.

Lovers, attention! - information for you:

If a couple in love kisses hard on this bridge, then their wedding will take place no later than a year later.

One of our friends swears that she checked on personal experience, and this is pure truth 😉

Building

The first thing that attracts tourists here is a picturesque view, an English park, small houses and cozy cafes.

For a long time, the townspeople did not build houses on the island, fearing flooding.

In the 15th century, the island was bought by the archbishop and land ennoblement began: parks and orchards were laid out. One of them is still alive and is located in the southern part of the island.

In the XVII century, artisans lived on the island, pottery and trade flourished. Fairs were also held here.

Over time, the island became suitable for construction. On it appeared houses, mansions and palaces.

The real story of the house "At seven devils"

Now I will tell the story of Aloysia Nemtseva.

She was not a millwoman and a laundress, but the daughter of a Prague lawyer. Born in 1821. And when it came time to get married, she was in trouble: the groom escaped from the crown with her best friend. Since then, the girl lived alone and did not marry.

After her father’s death, she moved to the White Horse House on Kampa Island. That was the name of the two-story baroque palace. This house was bought from the noble family of Strakov, Aloise's father.

The woman lived in rooms on the second floor, renting the rest. Over the years, she completely stopped leaving the house, and tenants complained about Nemtseva’s strange demands that she had to strictly observe: no furniture, including cabinets, tables and chairs, should be moved to walls and no walls should be touched.

I understand that you could not even ask about shelves and paintings.

There were fewer tenants. The character of a lonely woman apparently and really was not accommodating. Once she drove out an artist who was shooting a corner in a house. In response, he painted a devil’s house on each of the 6 columns and inscribed: “The house has 7 devils”, implying that 7 devils are Aloise herself. Rumors spread that she was talking with the devil.

The woman died at 74 years old. After death in 1895, according to the will of the mistress, the house became the property of the hospital of the Order of the Gray Sisters.

And once during the repair of the house, the strange demands of the hostess became clear. The walls and ceiling were double. When they were demolished, beautiful frescoes by the Swiss artist Jan Rudolf Bisse appeared before the builders.

In 1710, they were ordered for their home by the former owner, art lover Jan Peter Strak.

Aloisa Nemtseva preserved beautiful wall paintings and the devil has nothing to do with it.

Now the house "At seven devils" has a completely different name: Strakov Palace from Nedabylitsy. It is located on Maltese Square. From Charles Bridge it is a few minutes walk. The address of the house is Maltézské náměstí 476/14.

Mystic Campa

There is another famous house on Kampa Island - Anna's House.

The story is connected with the terrible sweat of 1892. Imagine what the height of the water was if a woman named Anna saw the icon of the Mother of God floating on the canal and managed to grab it from her balcony.

Anna began to earnestly pray for the salvation of the city. From that day, the water began to recede and the city was saved.

The icon is located on the balcony of the house, in front of it is always a lamp.

Legend says that if you come here at night, you can hear a soft whisper from the balcony - Anna continues to pray to the Mother of God for help to those who are in danger.

Do you decide to walk around the island at night? Yes, it is quiet and beautiful here, but Anna is not the only Prague ghost to be here. For some reason, many ghosts have chosen Kampa.

On a moonlit night, all the Vltava drowned men come to the wheel of an old mill.

The oldest Czech ghost can be found near the house "At the blue fox". Sometimes he suddenly lingers for a second or two before entering. Then passersby see his shabby camisole and the saddest look in the world.

Modern attractions

Even at dusk, an unprepared tourist can get scared if he stumbles upon Huge crawling babies.

  • 3 faceless sculptures belong to the famous contemporary sculptor David Black. "Manneken Pis" in the yard is probably his most scandalous creation. The rotating giant head of F. Kafka on one of the squares of Prague is also his work. Other sculptures of D. Black are in Prague museums and the famous.
  • Not only the ghosts of the old city roam along Devilry. At night, you can see a line of luminous yellow penguins wandering to the island. Where did they come from? They are an exhibit of the Museum of Modern Art.

And they do not want to scare us, but to draw attention to global environmental problems.

  • Located on the island. This is the famous Museum of Modern Art. Its exposition is extraordinary, bright, sometimes it can confuse with its frankness.
  • Another attraction of modern Kampa is the John Lennon Wall. When Lennon died, fans came here to write an excerpt from their favorite song or just to draw something.

  • At first graffiti was painted over, but at the request of the Ambassador of France (a big fan of The Beatles), it was made a Prague memorial.
  • Among the island's attractions is Prague's narrowest street.

To be precise, this is a passage between houses, but only one person can pass. To avoid embarrassing situations, traffic lights are on both sides of the “street”.

Romance on the Island

The houses, steps, boats, river bus, balconies and terraces hanging over the water, which go down to the canal, and there is a cafe in them, all this creates a romantic atmosphere on the island.

People call it “Prague of Venice”. The island is not a bit like Venice. He is beautiful, green and in his own way very attractive. Here you can relax on benches or lie on the grass with a guide in your hands, go to a museum or sit in a cafe.

A romantic place attracts lovers, but we want to warn you: the prices here are high. And in cafes and restaurants.

There are many hotels and their prices are also high, but despite this, book a room  need in advance - may not be enough.

Unusual excursions around Kampa Island

How to get there

  • By tram:
      No. 12, 20, 22, 57 to the stop Hellichova.
  • On foot
      Go down the stairs of the Charles Bridge next to the bridge towers of the Malaya Side district and you are already on the island.

Address: Kampa, Praha 1

Island on the map

Thanks for attention! I hope that we will meet in Prague more than once, but for now, read our news and updates.

Kampa Island is an oasis of tranquility among the bustle of the city. Walk along its romantic streets, relax in a cozy park, go to the Museum of Modern Art or pass a note to John Lennon, take the most original photo of the day.

One of the most memorable romantic places in Prague is the island of Kampa. This is a "city" island - it is located in the historical center of the capital - on (Malá Strana).

The picturesque island, which is called "Prague Venice", is located at the confluence Vltava and channel Devil. You can get to Kampa by stairs from (Karlův most), along (Most Legií) and along a small bridge from the side (Maltézské náměstí).

How the island appeared

The name "Kampa", according to the testimony of historians, originated in the XII century. It was finally assigned to the island in 1770, and was officially legalized in 1977. There are several versions of its origin. Many believe that it went back to the time when Spanish soldiers camped on the island (this was after the memorable events on the White Mountain). The word campa is in Spanish and means camp.

The damn thing was originally called Stroug. The Stroug artificial canal, with a length of 740 m, was created in the XII century - it provided the work of several mills. The Devil's channel formed a loop around Kampa: with its sleeve it departed from the Vltava, and then again flowed into it. Since the channel for the operation of the mills was laid artificially, the island turned out to be the same - artificial.

In the XV century. beautiful gardens were set up on Kamp - the island land then belonged to the Prague archbishops, and their residence was nearby. Since then, only one garden has been preserved in the southern part of Kampa. In the XVI century, many feared the complete flooding of the island. Wealthy people did not want to settle in the "risk zone", so the land for a long time was given to artisans for fairs.

The channel changed its name several times - it was renamed in honor of the new owners. For some time it was called Rosenberg - in honor of the then owner of the surrounding lands - Wilem Rosenberg.

Hottie

The name of the river - Devil, came into use from urban folklore. Once upon a time, women from neighboring houses came to wash clothes on this small river. They say that among them was Aloisia Nemtsova, a gloomy old maid who possessed an evil tongue and a nasty character. Others did not love her and were afraid. The house where Aloysius lived was called the “House of the Seven Devils”, and the hostess was nicknamed Devil. They also began to call the river, where she came with linen.

Mrs. Aloysia, indeed, lived on in house No. 476. The “Devilish” nickname was given to her house by the artist, to whom Nemtsova rented a room, after one mystical story connected with this dwelling.

At Chertovka there were three old water mills. One of them was built by the Knights of Malta at the end of the 13th century. Mills have not been completely preserved to our time - only two wheels are left of two of them. One wheel, previously owned by the Velkoprzhevorskaya mill, stands near the bridge, laid not far from Malta Square. Near the wheel sits. This bridge was fond of newlyweds and romantic couples - locks “for good luck” are hung on its grate.

John Lennon Wall

The theme of love "sounds" in one of the main attractions of Kampa. "Make love, not war ...". The John Lennon Wall appeared on the island shortly after the death of the legendary composer, musician and pacifist. People come to the memorial place, leave wishes on the wall for love, requests to make the world a better place, write excerpts from the Beatles songs. This wall encloses the former palace. Initially, they tried to paint over the inscriptions and drawings, however, at the urgent request of the French ambassador - a fan of The Beatle and Lennon - they made a memorial wall and inscribed "legalized".

Many famous people at different times lived on Kamp. In their honor, monuments and statues have been erected on the island. Not so long ago, David Cherny appeared here - figures similar to the creeping "negroes" on (Žižkovský vysílač).

There are famous attractions in Kamp. "Anna's House" is famous for its balcony, thanks to which in 1892 all of Prague avoided complete flooding. Legend has it that the mistress of the house, escaping on the balcony, managed to catch the icon of the Mother of God passing by. Anna (that was the name of the woman) began to earnestly pray for the salvation of the city, and the water receded. Since then, a commemorative lamp has always been lit on Anna’s balcony over a miraculous way (though, over the years, the lamp has been replaced with an electric lamp).

Another famous Kampa site is with a pedestrian traffic light. A unique traffic light, intended only for passers-by, was hanged over the lane, because the two people in it could not separate.

Liechtenstein Palace

On the banks of the Vltava, there is a beautiful (Lichtenstejnsky palace) in neo-Renaissance style; the island has many expensive hotels, old mansions. A lot of tourists gather around Kampa, but the island itself is always quiet, albeit not crowded.

Kampa Museum

By the river next to the museum you will see bright penguin figures made from recycled plastic bottles and the “Chair”. At night, the yellow penguin system is beautifully highlighted.