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In search of the Green Man in Prague
Mysterious leaf-covered Green Man faces adorn several Prague landmarks The Green Man, a face either completely made of or covered in foliage, can be found on buildings across Europe. Prague has several…
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The Apocalypse was supposed to unfold in Prague’s New Town
Emperor Charles IV believed the world would end in his lifetime. If you lived in medieval times, Doomsday was always just around the corner. Emperor Charles IV was not only a firm believer…
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Does a vampire princess live in a Bohemian church?
Eleonore von Schwarzenberg is buried in a church in Český Krumlov. The odd circumstances have led some to speculate she was considered a vampire princess.
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Sepulchral imagery in The Bohemian Gothic Tarot
Motifs from Prague cemeteries adorn several cards in The Bohemian Gothic Tarot.
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The Black Death is commemorated by Prague’s fascinating plague columns
A lot of squares have Baroque columns in the center. Many were to give thanks for the end of a recent outbreak of Black Death
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Follow Nosferatu on a scary excursion to Czech ruins
All three versions of Nosferatu used gothic locations in Czechia or Czechoslovakia. . The classic of Gothic cinema started as an unauthorized adaptation of Bram Stoker’s seminal vampire novel Dracula.
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Bohemian holiday traditions: Foretelling what the new year will bring
Carp scales, walnut shell boats and molten lead help to predict fortunes for the coming year. As the new year approaches, people are naturally curious about what the next year will bring…
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Devilish gingerbread is a tempting Bohemian holiday treat
Visitors are often surprised to see devilish gingerbread next to other holiday figures. One curious element of Christmas in Bohemia is the omnipresent Devil, who is even seen in devilish gingerbread. The…
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Halloween step aside: Dušičky rules in Bohemia
In most of Central Europe, All Souls’ Day is a family affair. For much of the English-speaking world, October is spooky season, with ghost and cobweb decorations already going up. It culminates…
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The unlucky black cat of the Křížalova Street inn
A murder plan during the plague had consequences for an evil servant in a tale involving a black cat. Prague’s menagerie of supernatural critters of course includes a black cat. The tale…
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Terror of a bald ghost haunting Wig Maker’s Hill
A wildly unlikely ghost tale attempts to explain the odd name of a local park. A hill overlooking Prague’s largest cemetery, Olšanské hřbitovy, has an undeservedly shady reputation but is now home to…
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The mysterious White Lady of the Záběhlice Chateau
A ghost called a white lady at what was a rural castle near a vineyard never revealed her secrets. Parts of what is now Prague used to be villages separated by dusty…
