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Jan Mikolášek: the herbal healer showcased in the film Charlatan
A folk-medicine expert with an alleged gift treated over 5 million people, including many celebrities but critics call him a charlatan The new Czech-Irish-Polish-Slovak biopic Charlatan (Šarlatán) takes a look at the…
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Two monastery ghosts haunt the grounds of Emauzy
Long-dead monks wander the grounds of Emauzy, one a hero and the other a villainThe monastery at Emauzy looks pleasant enough from a distance, with its modern concrete wings added in the…
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Two ghosts who nailed it: a pair of grim Prague legends
Malá Strana has two ghosts who suffered painful deaths that involved iron nails A pair of otherwise unrelated ghosts a few streets apart in Prague’s historical Malá Strana area have something in…
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Using The Tarot of Prague
A Brazilian fan of The Tarot of Prague explains why it is his favorite to read People from all sorts of backgrounds become involved with Tarot, and also have different reasons for…
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The wild unicorn of Prague
A conjuring trick gone horribly wrong unleashed a wild unicorn on a side street in Prague Prague legends include many mystical animals, including a unicorn. While the story is a bit vague,…
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Alchemy at the House at the Stone Lamb
The elaborate stone portal is filled with messages of duality and transformation On Old Town Square, there is a house with a plaque saying Albert Einstein used to stop by there. But…
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The mad barber of Karlova Street
The lure of free gold led a barber down the path to ruin Sometimes having a decent profession isn’t enough. A barber during the time of Emperor Rudolf II was growing bored…
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The headless skeletons of Jánský vršek
The mysterious spectres wander the same small group of streets The area around Prague Castle has quite a few frightening apparitions. Two of the most unsettling are at Jánský vršek, just down…
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Built with the Devil’s help, Part II: Kinský Palace
Kinský Palace may have some dark secrets buried in its foundation Making a large building or a bridge requires a lot of complex math and engineering. But back in the Middle Ages…
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Rival ghosts haunt the House at the Golden Well
Old Town’siconic House at the Golden Well is also home to legends of greed and murder One of the most striking facades on the route from Charles Bridge to Old Town Square…
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A hooker and an angry Priest haunt Celetná Street
A truly odd couple roams Celetná Street near Old Town Square at night, oblivious to anyone else Ladies of the night have always flocked to busy market areas and touristy spots, at…
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Edward Kelley and his Bohemian adventures
British alchemist Edward Kelley 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:…