Na Příkopě
From Prague-wiki
Na Příkopě (On the Moat in Czech), commonly known as Příkopy (The Moats), is a boulevard in the centre of Prague. It forms the boundary between the Old Town and the New Town and it was created by the draining of former moat, dividing these district until 18th century, whence came the name of the street. The moat was drained in 1760, but the current name of the street came into use only in 1870s.
Na Příkopě Street connects the Wenceslas Square in the southwest with the Square of the Republic (Náměstí republiky) in the northeast. Since the street is one of the broadest in the centre, it soon became an important artery of traffic. Its importance rose after the construction of a second bridge across Vltava in 1841 (the Chain Bridge, where the National Theatre now stands). The primary route through Prague then shifted to Národní Street and Na příkopě Street. These two streets grew rapidly in importance, becoming, together with Wenceslas Square, the commercial centre of the city and attracting the attention of luxurious shops, financial institutions and other public buildings.
In the 20th the traffic importance of Příkopy was steadily growing. In the 1960s and 1970s the street was burdened with heavy traffic. Important change came with the opening of line B of Prague metro in 1985. Na Příkopě changed then at once from busy main line to a pedestrian zone. Unfortunately a tram line connecting Národní, Wenceslas Square and Square of the Republic was also closed, which is now considered a mistake. With the downfall of communism, Na Příkopě became one of the most luxurious shopping streets in the Central Europe.
