An Insight Into the Industrial Archaeology in Karlín, Prague, Czech Republic

Tereza Blažková

Archeologia technica, vol. 28 (2017)
Pages: 18–31
Language: Czech
Type of article: scientific article
DOI: n/a

Abstract:
Rescue archaeological excavation in 2013-2014 in Karlín uncovered several historical stages of the respective area development. The area of today‘s Karlín, which was located beyond the medieval walls of Prague, has served as the economic base of religious orders since the Middle Ages, and later, since the 17th century, as the farmland areas for Prague and from 18th up to about the mid-19th century as gardens and a trip destination for Prague citizens. In the first half of the 19th century Karlin became the first Prague suburb where both small and large industrial businesses and manufacturing workshops began to be established extensively. A river port on the Vltava river was built and a new residential district began to be developed there. The archaeological research revealed finds and structures from the 17th century and it uncovered the remains of the 19th-century gardens with its typical wells, the cellars of houses and especially the subterranean remains of a factory. The factory, founded in 1854, later known as Breitfeld & Daněk and ČKD, underwent many changes and alterations during its more than 100-year history, which is also reflected by the excavation. The foundations of the factory buildings were found including the furnaces, hot waterpipes, chimneys and ducts, chimney and production equipment foundations. With its scope it is so far the largest industrial archaeology excavation in Prague and possibly in the whole Czech Republic.