The name “Mostecka” appeared for this street in 1911; before that it was called “To the Bridge” Street. The reason is that it begins at Charles Bridge and ends at Malostranske Square. Since ancient times, Mostecka Street was considered the busiest in Prague, as the Royal Route passed through it. Today, many tourists follow the monarchs’ route with a mandatory visit to this stretch, so the street is still full of people to this day.
But many people come here for the souvenirs. Along the street, like beads on a string, one after another are strung cute, cozy little shops selling souvenirs, gifts, and sweets. Here you can find the toys beloved by the Czechs – marionettes, including ones with the faces of show business stars and famous politicians. If anyone has ever wanted, at least once in their life, to pull the strings of the president of the most powerful military power, you can absolutely do that in Prague on Mostecka Street :)
Another curious fact: in Czechia, houses began to be numbered only from 1770; before that they were simply marked with drawings or sculptures. If you needed to find an address, you would ask, “How do I get to the ‘House at the Cat’?” And then passersby would explain where and when to turn. That is why, in addition to the numbers 1, 2, 3, etc., on Mostecka Street you can still see figures of hares, bears, and even ostriches on the buildings.
