KAMPA ISLAND
Kampa is a real paradise and an oasis of rest, one of those that can only be found in the Malá Strana district. It is bounded by the Vltava River and a branch of the river, called the Čertovka. Its course once powered numerous mills. One of them, Štěpánovská, is now restored and working again. Čertovka means "the devil's spring" and a legend says that the name was given to it in the 19th century after a woman who had the character of a devil and lived near the island.
The park has been known since the Middle Ages. In the second half of the 15th century, the first houses were built here. After the fire in 1541 that ravaged this part of the city, the rubble from the houses was used to reinforce the river banks. The place was very famous in the 17th century for its pottery markets. Many of the picturesque houses in the area date from this period. Most of the island is occupied by the park, which was created by transforming the gardens of the old palaces in the 19th century, the time when parks were democratized as a place for walking. Passing the island, take the small footbridge that connects it with Velkopčevorské Square, dominated by the French Embassy, you will see the last working mill on this island. It is made of wood and dates from 1598. In winter when the snow and the sun pass the baton, the icicles turn it into a real miracle of nature.
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Members' reviews on KAMPA ISLAND
On y trouve un très beau petit musée : le musée Kampa consacré à l’art moderne et contemporain.