“Imagine light” a fitting start for a story about the K\u0159i\u017e\u00edkova elektrick\u00e1 lampa. Here stands a testament to ingenuity. This sculpture honors Franti\u0161ek K\u0159i\u017e\u00edk. He was a Czech inventor and electrical engineer. He significantly contributed to the development of electric power.
K\u0159i\u017e\u00edk’s work is seen all over Prague. He designed and installed arc lamps. He was also known as the “Czech Edison”. His innovations helped electrify Bohemia. He also helped electrify the Austro-Hungarian empire.
Let’s talk about arc lamps. The electric arc was used for lighting in the 1840s. In the 1870s, Pavel Nikolajevi\u010d Jablo\u010dkov built the first usable lamp. K\u0159i\u017e\u00edk saw Jablo\u010dkov’s lamp at the World Exhibition in Paris in 1878. He decided to improve it. The original lamp had a limited performance time. K\u0159i\u017e\u00edk’s lamps lasted longer. They could be switched on and off easily. This was due to fluent control of the arc.
K\u0159i\u017e\u00edk invented the differential principle of regulation. It used two electromagnets with opposite poles. He based his work on the Siemens arc lamp. This led to a dispute with Siemens. K\u0159i\u017e\u00edk won the case. His patent was recognized. He could sell his lamps again.
The Schuckert Company in Nuremberg mass-produced K\u0159i\u017e\u00edk arc lamps. They made lamps for Germany and Russia. K\u0159i\u017e\u00edk kept the right to produce them for Austria. His upgraded arc lamps were shown in Paris in 1881. They lit the Austrian pavilion. K\u0159i\u017e\u00edk won a gold medal for them.
Interestingly, K\u0159i\u017e\u00edk almost lit the National Theater. His arc lamp was a hit. But he didn’t participate in the selection process. The conditions were unfavorable. Still, he oversaw the theater’s lighting for decades.
Do you know how an arc lamp works? It creates an electric arc between two electrodes. When the circuit closes, resistance is highest. The temperature rises quickly. This ionizes the air. The air becomes conductive plasma creating a bright light.
In 1891, the General Jubilee Exhibition was held in Prague. This was a major event for K\u0159i\u017e\u00edk. He was both an exhibitor and an organizer. His factory lit all the exhibition spaces. His fountain of light was very popular. He installed a large headlight. It lit the grounds and surroundings at night. He also built an electric tram line. It was 800 meters long. It carried visitors from Letn\u00e1 to the exhibition.
K\u0159i\u017e\u00edk’s factory made many things. Besides arc lamps, it made generators and transformers. It made water and thermal power plants. It even made electric locomotives. His brand was known for quality.
K\u0159i\u017e\u00edk also built the first electric railway in Austria-Hungary. It ran between T\u00e1bor and Bechyn\u011b. He even made one of the first electromobiles in the Austrian Empire.
K\u0159i\u017e\u00edk was proud of his work in Karl\u00edn. He built his electrotechnical plants here. He also built one of Prague’s first electric tramways. He was the first Czech to drive an electric car of his own manufacture through these streets.
The K\u0159i\u017e\u00edk arc lamp here stands as a reminder. It reminds us of one man’s dedication to innovation. It also reminds us of Prague’s electric history. K\u0159i\u017e\u00edk’s legacy lives on.