Kampa Island in Prague

Kampa is an island on the Vltava River in the Lesser Quarter, Prague, from which it is separated by a mill drain called Čertovka. Kampa Island was first mentioned in the foundation document of a church of the Johanites. The island received its today’s appearance by adjusting the terrain and the Čertovka streambed. The northern part of Kampa is built-up with houses and Charles Bridges goes over it, the southern part of the island is formed by a park. Kampa did not have a name for a long time or it was just called “The Island”. The name “Kampa” (Kampa Island) first appeared in the second half of the 18th century. There is no evidence of the origins of that name. The most probably theory says it was derived from the Latin word campus (field), as until the 16th century there were no houses on the island due to floods. Other theories, however less likely ones, say the name was derived from the Slovakian word “kempa”, which means a ferry, the Polish word “kempa” (allegedly an island), or information by the enlightened topographer Jaroslav Schaller, who derived the name Kampa Island from the Old-Czech word zákampí, meaning “behind a water stream”.
The area along the northern part of Čertovka flowing among houses received a nickname “Venice of Prague” due to its picturesqueness, which resembles Venice in Italy.