Streets of Oslo

This time in Streets and Squares we go to Oslo, the capital of Norway. Founded in the year 1040 as Ánslo, and called Christiania between 1624 and 1925.

As always, clicking at the address will lead you to Google Maps, and clicking at the name to the person’s Wikipedia page.

Streets of Honolulu

This is the 16th article in the series Streets & Squares, and this time let’s make a digital trip to Honolulu, the capital of the State of Hawaii on the island of Oahu. Please do read the article Born in Hawaii previously published here in Journeys of Life.

Many of the eponymous streets in Honolulu tell about the history of the native Hawaiians. Honolulu has been part of Kingdom of Hawai’i (1795-1893), the Territory of Hawaii of the United States (1898-1959), and since 1959, State of Hawaii.

Streets of Prague

This time in Streets & Squares we go to Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic. A city that is deemed by many to be one of the most beautiful and interesting cities in Europe. Lots of history there of course, and you can see that in the street signs as well – but it can be quite a challenge for a foreigner to recognize the names in eponymous streets.

Streets of Puerto de la Cruz

Today in Streets & Squares we visit the city of Puerto de la Cruz in the Spanish island of Tenerife off the coast of Africa. Lots of eponymous streets here and a lot of history! As always, clicking on the address links leads you to Google Maps, and clinking on the names to the person’s Wikipedia page.

Streets of Sydney

Streets & Squares takes you this time to Sydney, the state capital of New South Wales on the east coast of Australia.

As always, clicking on an address will take you to Google Maps, and clicking on a name to the person’s Wikipedia page. See who lies behind the name of these streets and squares.

Streets of Gdansk

This time Streets & Squares will visit Gdansk on the Baltic coast in northern Poland, and – more precisely – by the Gulf of Danzig. Danzig is the former German name of Gdansk.

Streets of Boston

Streets and Squares goes this time to Boston, the capital of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and known to most of us for its Irish heritage. But its history goes way beyond that.

As always, we leave out most people – even if they are well-known – who don’t have direct relation to the city. And along with the eponymous streets,

Streets of Tallinn

This time in Streets & Squares we go to Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. Lots of eponymous streets here! You might also see the name Reval in lots of places – that’s the old name for Tallinn.

A short vocabulary to assist you in orienting in this lovely Hanseatic city:

Streets of Amsterdam

This time Streets & Squares goes to Amsterdam.  Kade, straat and weg can all be translated as streets. Furthermore, plein is square, and park is park.

Like always, clicking on the addresses will open Google Maps for you, and clicking on the names will (usually) lead to the person’s Wikipedia page.

Streets of Budapest

Once again,  Streets and Squares is providing you with some interesting background information on street signs around the world – a fun way to learn about the history and culture of the cities you visit or even live in!

Streets of Stockholm

Stortorget in Gamla Stan, Stockholm

This is part of the ongoing series Streets and Squares that provide some background information on street signs around the world – a fun way to learn about the history and culture of the cities you visit or even live in!

Streets of London

Let’s have another article in our series Streets and Squares  – a fun way to learn about the history and culture of the cities you visit or even live in! This time we go through London. You would expect a lot of royal names here – queens and kings etc – and so it is too. But let’s have a nice mix of those and some other interesting names, shall we.

Streets of Paris

This time Streets & Squares goes to Paris, the capital of France. The city is filled with eponymous addresses, which here may entail streets, squares, parks, bridges etc. The article may expand later on.

Those of you who have visited this lovely city, or read about it, probably know that it is divided into 20 areas or districts called arrondissements. The rule of thumb is that the lower the number, the more central the area is. The district numbers are given here after every address for orientation. Place means square, Pont is bridge, Quai is a street along a river, and Rue is of course just a regular street.

Streets of Berlin

This is part in the article series Streets and Squares that provide some background information on street signs around the world. It is a fun way to learn about the history and culture of the cities you visit or even live in!

This time we target Berlin which became the capital of the unified Germany exactly 27 years ago, June 20th 1991. Strasse – or straße like they write that double s in German – means of course street, and there are quite a few eponymous streets – and squares and parks – in Berlin. The word eponymous means – in case you didn’t know it already – (of a thing) “named after a particular person or group” or (of a person) “giving their name to something”. And Platz means square.

Streets of New York City

This is the second article in the series Streets & Squares. This time it is about New York City – the place that never sleeps.

For those of you who have visited the city, it is no news that its five boroughs, especially Manhattan, are filled with numbered avenues and streets, i.e. with no credit to any historical persons. But there are a few addresses with names too, and here are a few of them. These may be streets, squares, parks, bridges etc. This article may expand somewhat later on, and check here if you want to see Wikipedia’s long list of New York City’s eponymous (named-after-someone) streets.

Streets of Helsinki

This is the first in the article series Streets and Squares that provide some interesting background information on street signs around the world. It is a fun way to learn about the history and culture of the cities you visit or even live in!

We start with Helsinki, the capital of Finland that celebrated its 100 years of independence December 2017. The picture here depicts the Senate Square Church behind Market Square with the South Harbor in front where the Silja Line passenger ferries depart to Stockholm, Sweden.

Streets and Squares

On Rue André del Sarte in Paris

Ever wonder when you are walking along streets abroad – or even in your home country – about the names in the street signs? Who gave the name to a particular street, square or park – and on what grounds was he or she bestowed the honor?