The passageways and arcades in Prague differ from their French, English, and Italian counterparts both by their typology and their history. The old passageways, known as "crossing houses" do not correspond to any preconceived plan and originally existed only at the will and tolerance of the inhabitants before becoming a true system of communication in the Renaissance and Baroque quarters of the city. The turn of 20th century saw the development of other passageways within the Městské paláce of the Nex Town: these newer passages or arcades, often featured extremly bold architectural styles. From 1907 to 1940, over forhy of them would pierce the city, mainly in the center. These multi-puspose spaces participate in the socio-cultural life of the city and became a specific part in the overall context of Prague.