Prague’s middle earth: Residents rally for ‘Lord of the Rings’ street names

Prague residents are pushing to rename streets after characters from “The Lord of the Rings.”

The news comes as the city plans to develop a new residential district on Rohan Island, located north of the historic centre along the Vltava River.

While the city initially proposed naming the streets after renowned philosophers like Kant and Derrida, some Czech residents are advocating for Tolkien’s fantasy characters instead.

The petition insists that the Rohan Embankment should bear names from the realm of Rohan, as depicted in Tolkien’s epic.

Although Rohan Island shares its name with a Middle Earth kingdom, it was originally named after a local poet, Josef Rohan, rather than the fantasy novel.

Despite this, the petitioners, who have garnered over 10,000 signatures in support, are unwavering in their desire to honour the fictional heroes of Tolkien’s work.

They humorously question the role of philosophers like Immanuel Kant in battles against the likes of Saruman, the evil wizard from the novels.

Additionally, the petitioners criticise the lack of female representation among the proposed street names and suggest honouring characters like the shieldmaiden Eowyn to address this concern.

Sharing the petition on his Facebook page, Prague councillor from the Pirate Party and the city’s former mayor Zdenek Hrib hailed the initiative as “a praiseworthy step.”

The councillor says: “I see it (the petition) as a very meritorious act.”