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The valiant legend of Horymír and his talking horse Šemík
A knight tried to stop a famine by urging the prince to turn away from silver. Greed drives rulers to become shortsighted tyrants. Bohemia was once filled with silver ore. Back in…
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How Drahomíra was dragged through the gateway to Hell
The pagan era ended when a conspiring duchess was dragged down into a gateway to Hell, One of the dark villains of early Bohemian history is Duchess Drahomíra of Stodor, one of…
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Alchemist and seer John Dee languishes in Bohemia
John Dee was once an adviser to Queen Elizabeth I, but he saw his fortunes decline in Prague. The scholarly John Dee will likely always be remembered for getting caught up with…
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Brno’s St James Ossuary is a spooky underground treasure
Skeletons of 50,000 people were lost under a town square in Moravia’s capital for centuries, There are often surprises when people start looking around a old basement or attic. In 2001, repairs…
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The Devil’s Column is due to a diabolical bet
Some see a broken stone pillar as evidence that a demon named Zardan visited Prague. The history of Vyšehrad goes back to the very foundation of Prague, and the walled fortress-like area…
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Interactive map shows the ghosts of Prague
More than 100 spirits inhabit the historical parts of the Czech capital, and an interactive map helps to find them. Prague is filled with ghosts, at least according to popular legends. But…
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The Iron Knight at Prague’s City Hall is a jealous ghost
The statue of an Iron Knight at City Hall relates to a gruesome ghost story. Prague City Hall is certainly the only administrative building in the world with a statue of a…
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Magic Prague Tour shows a week of wonders
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…
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Ema Destinnová, a diva who embraced divination
The singer Ema Destinnová, known for her patriotism, also dabbled in the occult and loved black. People in the Czech Republic know Ema Destinnová from her somewhat idealized portrait on the Kč…
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Three Czech ghosts emerged from one Christmas Eve tragedy
The mistaken report of a soldier’s death led to unintentional bigamy and tragedy. Three Czech ghosts wander the streets on Christmas Eve in Prague’s Malá Strana district. They are not the ghosts…
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Malá Strana Cemetery is a spooky time capsule
A tomb in Malá Strana Cemetery for a girl who died over 150 years ago still gets candles from strangers. Like many old cities in Europe, Prague is dotted with cemeteries. They…
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Stephen Hübner, the peculiar vampire of Trutnov
A wealthy farmer’s success was attributed to a deal with the Devil. These days, the town of Trutnov in the Krkonoše mountains in the northeast of Bohemia is known for its annual music festival.…