A truly odd couple roams the Celetná at night, oblivious to anyone else Ladies of the night have always flocked to busy market areas and touristy spots, at least in the centuries before the dawn of the internet when that became obsolete. One place that long attracted bawdy women was Celetná
The British alchemist went from highs to lows to a premature death in the Rudolfine era When it comes to alchemists in Bohemia working under Rudolf II, two names stand out: Edward Kelley and John Dee. Their stories are intertwined, but each deserves his own. Kelley — also spelled Kelly — claimed
The adviser to Queen Elizabeth I saw his fortunes decline in Prague The scholarly John Dee will likely always be remembered for getting caught up with Edward Kelley, a somewhat shady character who came to an ill end in the north Bohemian city of Most. How much Dee himself was an
A visionary woman saw the future of the Czech capital Like many old cities, the origins of Prague are a bit mysterious. A popular legend says the city was founded by a female pagan visionary. Like Britain's King Arthur and other founding figures, how much is true history and how much
Building names hold clues to some gruesome tales Older buildings in Prague are known not by their numbers but by distinctive names, and corresponding pictures are often on the facades. Three buildings in Old Town commemorate some of Prague's most unfortunate trios. Pictures on the facades and the names of the houses
A Templar knight on a fire-breathing horse went on strike when their church became a print shop The former Church of St. Anne on Liliová Street in Prague's Old Town used to belong to the Knights Templar, before the order was abolished in the 14th century. The church and connected monastery was
More than 100 spirits inhabit the historical parts of the Czech capital Prague is filled with ghosts, at least according to popular legends. But just how many is an open question. Books of legends agree on several, and others just appear in a single source. Some legends seem to have split
One of the first nice days of spring is an excuse to roast sausages and burn a witch Witches' Night sounds a bit ominous, but in Bohemia and much of Central Europe it has become something of a children's holiday, a small-scale Halloween. Superstitious celebrations were frowned on in the communist era, but
People can see esoteric treasures plus meet like-minded people Prague, and much of Bohemia, is just filled with mystical and curious places. Finding them on your own and separating the fact from fiction can be a difficult task. There are a number of ghost tours but most just give a brief
A friendly green vodník used to be a regular in pubs near Kampa Island There is a particular type of Bohemian supernatural being called a vodník, or water sprite. They are related to elves, fairies, leprechauns and similar beings with roots deep back into local folklore and pre-history. In many Slavic nations
