Kampa is a quiet, romantic spot full of greenery, washed from one side by the
waters of the River Vltava and from the other by an artificially constructed canal, Čertovka (the Devil's Canal).
The canal flows along a picturesque cluster of houses on the northern tip of this remarkable area, a striking nook also known as the Prague Venetia. Its name may have been derived from the Latin word "campus" (a fiat field) or from the name of Tychon Gangsel of Camp, a man who made a fortune growing tulips and built a house here in the 17th century. The Italian word "campo" also means an island garden, and Kampa has always been an island of gardens. Kampa was mentioned for the first time in 1169. At that time it was called simply The Island, but from 1770 the name Kampa began to be used officially. The profile ofthe island changed because of the ground washed away during the course of floods. However, its shape leveled off after the Lesser Town fire of 1541, the material from the destroyed houses bei ng used to rei nforce of its banks.
The artificially constructed branch of the
canal that separates Kampa from the Lesser Town. The name is supposedly connected to a lady who owned a house in Maltese Square (Maltézské náměstí). Six infernal creatures were portrayed on the wall of her house with the inscription beneath them: Seven Devils House. The name began to be commonly used and everybody could work out who the seventh devil was; that lady had a glib tongue, no one could measure themselves against her, and because she often washed her laundry in the Gully, the canal began to be cal led the Devil's Canal (Čertovka).
Originally only the fruit gardens of the burghers and nobility were on Kampa. On ly in 1948-1949 were the walls surrounding these gardens knocked down and the eurrentday large park created in an area covering 2.65 hectares. The park was inspired by English landscaping style, with promenades along the Vltava and Čertovka. Beautiful vistas of the river, Charles Bridge, the Lesser Town Bridge Tower and the Old Town open up from here. For a long time the gardens had not been open to the public, and when the Prague counci Ilors agreed to the construction of the first houses, the owners were charged with the care of Charles Bridge. The first inhabitants were stonemasons, bricklayers and joiners, later on followed by craftsmen whose workshops were huddled under the arches of the bridge. Then smiths and blacksmiths moved in. Potters offered their wares here for the first time around the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries. They originally brought their products to Pohořelec, but in 1599 the plague epidemics broke out on Hradčany, so they moved to Kampa and have remained there to this day.
The tradition of the pottery markets has been preserved and pottery from Kampa is a soughtafter souvenir. The quaint square photo opposite page below), encircled by beautiful houses, is cal led The Potter's Spot (Hrnčířský plácek).
One of the dominant features is Lichtein-
stein (Kaiserstein) Palace (Lichtenštejnský or Kaiserštejnský palác), a Baroque structure builtfrom 1684-1696, later reconstructed in Classicist and Neo-Renaissance styles. On the Vltava bank are the Sova Mills (Sovovy mlýny). Across Čertovka we can see Michna Palace, also called the Tyrš House (Michnův palác or Tyršův dům). The mills on Čertovka should be mentioned as well. There is a nice view of Smeltery Mill (mlýn Hut) with its original millwheel, the Grand Prior Mill (Velkopřevorský mlýn - photo above) with its huge millwheel is famous too, being mentioned as early as the 13th century when it was the property of the knights of St. John. Nowadays it is considered to be the most picturesque corner on the whole Kampa.
THE LAUNDRETTE CHURCH
When we approach Kampa from the south we cannot miss one the oldest remaining sights of the Lesser Town - the early Gothic Church of
St. George's also called The Launderette Church (Na prádle) mentioned as early as 1142.
Its sanctum nave dates from reconstruction in mid-13th century.
The renowned lawyer Viktorin Kornel of Všehrdy was buried here in 1520. The name and h istory of the church reminds us of the 'Prague Venetia' banks being crowded by comely laundresses. Even Emperor Rodolph 11'5 laundress used to come here to do the washing. The church was closed down and converted into a launderette in 1784, only reopening as a church in 1935.
The canal flows along a picturesque cluster of houses on the northern tip of this remarkable area, a striking nook also known as the Prague Venetia. Its name may have been derived from the Latin word "campus" (a fiat field) or from the name of Tychon Gangsel of Camp, a man who made a fortune growing tulips and built a house here in the 17th century. The Italian word "campo" also means an island garden, and Kampa has always been an island of gardens. Kampa was mentioned for the first time in 1169. At that time it was called simply The Island, but from 1770 the name Kampa began to be used officially. The profile ofthe island changed because of the ground washed away during the course of floods. However, its shape leveled off after the Lesser Town fire of 1541, the material from the destroyed houses bei ng used to rei nforce of its banks. 
THE LAUNDRETTE CHURCH