2. 17. listopadu Dormitory

17. listopadu is one of the dormitories of Charles University, located north of the Prague city centre in the Troja district, in a location with the local name Pelc-Tyrolka. It consists of two tall blocks of flats, the larger of which is designated as building A, the smaller (and further back, by the rock) is building B. The letter C belonged to the old canteen, abandoned for years, which was converted into the Faculty of Humanities (FHS) building a few years ago.

The Troja Canteen, better known as “17. listopadu Canteen” or “Menza” in Czech is located under building A.

A little glimpse of history

The dormitory was built at the end of the 1980s, so it ranks among the newer dormitories, and its facilities and comfort correspond to this (as well as the price of accommodation). Originally, it was supposed to be a part of a larger university campus (and look a little different), but that is long in the past.

Name

The dormitory name “17. listopadu” refers to the brutally suppressed student anti-communist demonstration on 17^th November 1989 (the 50^th anniversary of a violently suppressed demonstration against the Nazi storming of Charles University). The suppression led to the spreading of protests and it started the Velvet Revolution (“Sametová revoluce” in Czech). Although there was no additional violence (“velvet” comes from no violence), these events resulted in the downfall of Communism in Czechoslovakia, liberation from the Eastern Bloc and from occupation by the Soviet Union (today’s Russia). This day (17^th November) is a national holiday with large commemorative events which we highly recommend visiting.

The name of the adjacent “Barikádníků” bridge (barikádník = barricade man) also refers to historical events and the Czech fight for freedom. The Prague uprising took place from the 5^th to the 9^th of May 1945. As WWII was almost over, inhabitants of Prague rose against German occupation. Despite the rough and bloody fighting, which included the construction of barricades to defend Prague against the German army, they managed to relatively liberate Prague (which helped to final liberation of Czechoslovakia).

The bus stop Pelc-Tyrolka has a more prosaic name. It is named after a vanished homestead (manor’s pub) first owned by Pelcl and after by Tyrall.

How to get there

From metro (underground/subway) station C Nádraží Holešovice, take the bus 187 (currently, it does not run on weekends except for Sunday afternoons and evenings; on holidays, it runs in a very limited schedule) to the Pelc Tyrolka stop. Since September 2021, the stop is located directly in front of the entrance to the tunnel under the dormitory.

You can also use the 201 bus to Kuchyňka stop and first walk back along the sidewalk, then walk under the “highway” and straight ahead. The walk is a bit longer from the Povltavská stop, where buses 112 and 234 run, or the nearby Trojská stop, where tram number 17 goes. The only thing you need to watch out for with trams is the fact that you don’t find the tram 17 stop on Nádraží Holešovice on the same side as trams 6/12 and buses (112, 187, 234 etc.). To find the other stop it is easiest to take the other exit from the metro (closer to the railway station Nádraží Holešovice) and turn left. It is also the first stop out of the two stops called Nádraží Holešovice in bus 187.

However, if you have arrived at Nádraží Holešovice and there is no 187, 201, or 112 bus arriving in the next 12 minutes, then the fastest way is to go about 1.3 km on foot over the Barikádníků bridge. Just past the river, the path splits – you can either go left down a spiral path and an underpass (longer), or straight down a narrow path along the road and then climb down and over the stones under the bridge (shorter, but not quite suitable for travelling with a suitcase).

Bus 187 from Pelc Tyrolka can be used for the journey away from the dormitory. Another option is bus 201 from the Kuchyňka stop – go to the stop from the dormitory along the newly reconstructed sidewalk straight and then to the left until you reach the stop. However, connections from Kuchyňka do not run reliably (201 in this direction is usually delayed), so it is often faster to walk to Nádraží Holešovice (around 12–15 minutes) or go to Trojská stop (around 10 minutes).

For more details check Mapy.cz (available as a website and app for Android and iOS3) or Google Maps. However, Czechs also use the following websites and apps for checking connections: Pubtran app (for Android and iOS), Spojení DPP website, IDOS (available as a website and app for Android and iOS) or search within the Lítačka app (for Android and iOS), all of which provide information whether your tram/bus/metro is delayed.

The Address

When sending mail to the dormitory address, it is useful to include the room number, including the bed number (1 or 2 – it’s written on your dormitory ID card) in addition to the name of the person – it saves time and prevents possible mistakes. Since 2022 we have post/mail boxes that are located on the ground floor. To take out your letters, you need to unlock them. You will receive the key to your post box when you move in. This system should prevent any mix-ups, but if someone else has taken your mail or you have mail of someone else, it’s easiest to write in the dormitory Facebook group. The other person will probably contact you on their own then ☺

If your mail ends up in the post office (e.g., because it is a package; or it was a recorded delivery and you weren’t at the dormitory), you must go for it to the post office near the Ládví metro station at Burešova 1663/6.

AlzaBox

Fortunately, since 2024, we now have an AlzaBox located at the northern wall of building A. The AlzaBox is a self-service pick-up box where you can receive orders and parcels not only from Alza but also from other e-shops or from individuals.

It works as follows: when ordering, you select the AlzaBox near the dormitory as the pick-up point. Once your package arrives, you will receive an SMS with a 6-digit code. You (or a friend you’ve asked to pick up your package) will enter the code at the AlzaBox, and the compartment with your package will open (if your order contains multiple items, more compartments may open). You then take out the goods and close the compartment. If you chose to pay on pick-up, you can pay contactlessly at the AlzaBox.

In addition to Alza, the AlzaBox can also be used for packages from carriers such as PPL, GLS, DPD, WE|DO, and Balíkovna. E-shops often call this service “… parcel”, “… parcelshop”, “… výdejní místo/a” or “… pickup” (the name of the carrier itself often means delivery to the address). Different carriers may refer to the dormitory AlzaBox by different names, but the address (Pátkova 2135/1) remains the same, so you just need to search for “Pátkova”.

The AlzaBox can also be used for returning goods or sending parcels. For returning items to Alza, pack your parcel, write the return number on it, click “Send” at the AlzaBox, enter your claim number, and place the parcel into the opened compartment. Currently, sending parcels from our AlzaBox is supported by GLS (see instructions) and Balíkovna (see instructions in Czech), which also offers e-shop returns (see info).

At present, Zásilkovna does not deliver to the AlzaBox. However, it has the two nearest branches located near the north exit of the Nádraží Holešovice metro station, named “RELAY – kasy u vlaků” and “České dráhy – Železniční stanice Praha Holešovice”.

(Telephone) Country code

We remind you that if you dial a local telephone number from a foreign phone, you must start with +420 (Czech country code). Otherwise, you will dial a random person ☺

Phones

Our dormitory has its own telephone system. There is one in each cell. There are also phones at the receptions, the control room, for the housekeepers, in the head’s office, … Calls within the dormitory are free.

Of course, each phone has its own number, written in the dormitory phone book. It is usually four digits long and starts with the number one. The phone book can be downloaded from the Dormitory Council’s website or obtained from the reception desk. A handy option is to call between cells without looking in the phone book. Just dial *1xxxx for building A, or *2xxxx for building B, where xxxx is zero plus the room number. So, for example, *20502 (or *20501) for the phone in cell B501/502. Useful dormitory phone numbers:

Every telephone in the dormitory can be called from outside. Just dial +420 286 02 yyyy, where yyyy is the four-digit phone number from the phone book.