Wilcza

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Wilcza (lit. Wolfen Street) is one of the main streets of Warsaw's city centre. It links Koszykowa Street in the south-eastern part of the borough with the Three Crosses Square at the Royal Road. Initially, at least since 14th century the street was but a road running along the fields belonging to the voigts of the city of Old Warsaw, much to the south of the city's limits. As the family of Wilk (Polish word for wolf) dominated the office of the city's voigt throughout the 15th century, the road started to be referred to by their name, initially in the form of Wilcze or Na Wilczem (Wilks' or At the Wilks, respectively). With time the real etymology became obscure and the name started to be associated with the etymologic meaning of the surname rather than the surname itself. In 1770 the name was granted officially by the Naming Commission.