Have you ever wondered how a place gets its name? Husinec u \u0158e\u017ee offers a clue right in its very name. We are standing in Husinec u \u0158e\u017ee. It is a village with a story etched into its name and landscape.
Husinec u \u0158e\u017ee is located in the Prague-v\u00fdchod district. It lies in the Central Bohemian Region. The village nestles in a meander of the Vltava River. It sits on the river’s right bank. This puts it not far north of Prague and Roztoky. Specifically, it is about twelve kilometers north of Prague’s center.
The name “Husinec” comes from the Czech word for a place where geese were kept. Imagine a time when this area was known for its geese. Over time, the name symbolically transferred to the entire settlement.
The first written mention of Husinec u \u0158e\u017ee appears in a document around 1227. The Czech King P\u0159emysl Otakar I granted jurisdiction over his subjects to the nunnery of St. George in Prague. This document mentions “Guscinec”. It also mentions the village of \u0158e\u017ee, referred to as “Rese”. However, the first record of \u0158e\u017ee is from 1088. By 1403, the village was known as Hussinec. The name evolved over time reflecting changes in language.
During the Hussite revolution, the village was likely confiscated by Prague citizens. In the 16th century, Husinec u \u0158e\u017ee and \u0158e\u017ee belonged to the Roztoky estate. David Boryn\u011b ze Lhoty bought the Roztoky estate in 1565. After the defeat of the Bohemian Revolt, his grandson sold the estate to Prince Karl of Liechtenstein. The Liechtenstein family owned the estate until 1803. For a time, Husinec u \u0158e\u017ee and \u0158e\u017ee were reattached to the estate of the nunnery of St. George. The nunnery had its seat in Kam\u00fdk and Statenice.
In 1631, the name appeared as “Husynecz” in the nunnery’s register. The Terezian cadastre, a tax register from the mid-18th century, lists four serf homesteads in Husinec u \u0158e\u017ee and two in \u0158e\u017ee. These were part of the monastery estate. The serfs in Husinec u \u0158e\u017ee held 172 strychs of fields. The village held 69 strychs of fallow land. In \u0158e\u017ee, they held 153 strychs of fields. One strych equaled about 0.29 hectares. The current area of the village is 295 hectares. At that time, 30 people from Husinec u \u0158e\u017ee and 25 from \u0158e\u017ee were registered in the district of the Church of St. Clement “on Hradec”. However, at the end of feudalism, both villages belonged to the Roztoky estate again.
In 1932, Husinec u \u0158e\u017ee had a population of 400. It boasted various businesses. These included a car repair shop and a cement goods factory called Silika. There was also a timber merchant and an electrical distribution cooperative. The village had a barber, four inns, and eight general stores. Other amenities included a kindergarten, two tobacconists, and three coal dealers. A gardening business also operated there.
Today, Husinec u \u0158e\u017ee is a vibrant community. It has a population of approximately 1,600 people. It is divided into two parts: Husinec and \u0158e\u017e. The village continues to evolve while holding onto its rich past. As you explore, remember the geese that may have once roamed here. Their presence helped shape the name and story of Husinec u \u0158e\u017ee.