Lost in time Horní Roztyly whispers tales of Prague’s past. Before towering buildings and bustling streets stood a small village. Horní Roztyly and its sister settlement Dolní Roztyly were once thriving communities. Their existence is documented from the 12th century. Imagine the daily lives of their inhabitants. Farmers toiled in the fields. Children played in the streets. The names Horní and Dolní Roztyly meaning Upper and Lower Roztyly respectively distinguished them. They were situated near present-day Spořilov bordering Chodov Záběhlice and Michle.
Over the centuries Horní Roztyly saw many changes. Ownership transferred through noble hands. During the Thirty Years’ War the village suffered devastating raids. Jesuits acquired it cheaply in 1623. Later Jakub Nagel a regional advocate purchased it. During this period the name was sometimes spelled Rostele. By the early 20th century Horní Roztyly was a tiny settlement only a farmstead in size with a mere ten inhabitants.
The connection to Prague changed Horní Roztyly’s fate. In 1922 both Roztyly settlements were annexed to Prague. Záběhlice became part of the Prague XIII district. Horní Roztyly lacked its own transport connection initially. The construction of Spořilov brought an increase in traffic with buses and trams becoming common. The expansion of the city swallowed up the little village. Its buildings disappeared replaced by the modern development of Jižní Město II.
Today a housing estate bears the name Horní Roztyly. The metro station Roztyly previously named Primátora Vacka is a key landmark in the region. The station was originally located within Záběhlice’s cadastral area. In 1987 its location changed to Chodov with the construction of a highway forming the new boundary. Even the remnants of buildings only visible in late 20th-century aerial photos are now just memory. The site is now a grassy area near the Koliba restaurant. Horní Roztyly lives on in name only a testament to the evolving landscape of Prague. The name however remains. A reminder of a past era.