Prague Districts: Dejvice - part I. - Prague, Czech Republic

Along with Vinohrady, Dejvice is the quintessential Prague expat quarter, the kind of area that makes estate agents and relocation consultants rub their hands with glee as they think of the business opportunities. Although not as old as the other neighborhoods we´ve looked at in this series, this solidly bourgeois district has a long-established feel, and among other things, offers very attractive housing, international schools, a clutch of decent restaurants, and plenty of green space. It´s therefore no surprise that Dejvice has become one of Prague´s most cosmopolitan districts.

History
Surprising as it may seem, most of Dejvice has been in existence for less than 90 years: it grew up thanks to the building boom generated by the fledgling Czechoslovakia in the early 1920s. The confident and optimistic new democracy required the trappings of statehood, such as public institutions, which resulted, for example, in the army headquarters on Vítězné náměstí. At the same time, the bourgeoisie running the new state needed somewhere to live, and its members moved into the solid, dignified apartment blocks built in the streets around Vítězné náměstí. They also took up residence in the new upscale residential districts that began to develop, most notably the minimalist modernist Baba development, and the more traditional but no less striking Ořechovka.

Getting there and around
The fastest and most convenient way to reach Dejvice is by metro – the western terminus of line A (Dejvická, oddly enough), is at Vítězné náměstí, which is one of Prague‘s main transport hubs, as the metro is connected with the many tram and bus routes that converge on the square. At the time of writing, large sections of the tram network are not operating due to extension of route number 8 and metro construction at Červený vrch. However, under normal circumstances, routes 2, 8, 20 and 26 run via Vítězné náměstí and connect with Dejvická metro station. Numbers 2, 20 and 26 run to Divoká Šárka, and the route of number 8 will be extended to terminus in Podbaba when work finishes in a few months. For up to date information see www.dpp.cz.

Housing in Dejvice can be divided roughly into three zones. The eastern part of the district, from the area around Bubeneč railroad station to the streets west of the Sparta football stadium, consists mainly of large villas of varying periods, such as the turn of the century houses on Slavíčkova. The central area, around Vítezně náměstí, is denser and less green, and made up of geometrically laid out blocks of tenements. Westwards, from Bába in the north to Hanspaulka and Střešovice, the district returns to low density as villas predominate, with sporadic outbreaks of panel housing. This part of Dejvice includes the two architecturally signficant sub-districts: Bába and Ořechovka. The former is a series of box-like Functionalist white villas perched on a cliff high above the River; the latter is a classic slice of British Home Counties suburbia that has been teleported to Prague.

Inevitably, house prices in Dejvice are among the highest in the country, and flats and houses sell consistently well. Renovated 3+1 flats reach an average of CZK 6,000,000, and 4+1 apartments an average of CZK 8,000,000. In terms of houses, Dejvice specialises in luxurious detached villas from the pre-war era, usually with 6 or more rooms and large gardens. Most have been renovated, and prices of CZK 30,000,000 are common; pre-war villas in the most prestigious parts of Prague 6, such as Ořechovka, can reach up to CZK 100,000,000.