17. Radotín Through Time
Today’s Osvoboditelů Square has been, since at least the Middle Ages, the centre of a farming village clustered around the Radotínský Stream and an important route that connected Prague with the southern regions of the country well into the modern era. The stream running through the middle of the village green was unpredictable, and only the larger, wealthier homesteads in the upper part of the square were safe from frequent flooding. Houses in the lower section stood almost directly on the stream banks until its regulation in 1908.
On the eastern side of the square, across the stream — right where you are standing — stood modest dwellings that were later rebuilt in a more decorative style.
The original village green began to expand only with the arrival of the industrial age and the influx of new residents. It stretched along the road to Lochkov and became known as Panská Street, named after the finer houses built mainly on one side. At the beginning of the 20th century, the first beautification efforts took place: the stream was regulated and a public park was planted.
The oldest known photograph of the Radotín village green, taken from Velký háj in the early 20th century, shortly before the stream was regulated and the road improved Photo: Archive of Jiří Bárta
Central part of the square, view of the former Žufníček Farm, later used by the cement plant. Today, the post office stands here as part of the new housing estate. Park landscaping from the 1960s with a statue of a Red Army soldier Photo: Archive of the Radotín Chronicle Committee
Radotín’s main square was first named Masaryk Square (after Jan Masaryk, 1928–1952), then Czechoslovak Army Square (1952–1977), and finally, after Radotín was incorporated into Prague, it received its current name: Osvoboditelů Square.
The area where we are standing underwent a radical transformation. After the old cement plant was demolished and relocated closer to the limestone quarries, the site remained a neglected brownfield for more than 20 years, serving at times as a dumping ground and car scrapyard.
1945: Aerial Image of Radotín
1988: Aerial Image of Radotín
In the 1980s, the area was prepared for the construction of a new housing estate. Each of the five high‑rise buildings contains 59 apartments across 12 floors. However, the surroundings of the buildings remained neglected for many years.
1996: Aerial Image of Radotín
The square in the 1970s and 1980s Photo: Archive of the Radotín Chronicle Committee
It was only at the beginning of the new millennium that the area gradually became more welcoming. New children’s playgrounds were built, the sports field received a modern artificial surface, new urban furniture was added, and sidewalks and stairways were repaired. Most importantly, new trees were planted — including service trees, mulberries, small‑leaved limes, and ginkgo trees. In 2026, all playgrounds were fully renovated and equipped with new play elements and modern fencing thanks to an investment by the Prague 16 Municipal District.
Between 2018 and 2022, more than 500 mature trees were planted in Radotín. In the photo: Ginkgo biloba (maidenhair tree)
