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Whipping away infertility at Easter with a pomlázka
A traditional practice involves braided willow branches called a pomlázka and plum brandyEaster in Europe has always been tied up with spring rituals related to fertility and birth. Bunnies are among 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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Ghost riders at náměstí Republiky
Three ghost riders haunt the same area near the start of the Royal RouteThe area around the square called náměstí Republiky marks the start of the old Royal Route that leads all…
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Red Goat, the pirate ghost of Prague
A seafaring buccaneer tried to hide on land but could not escape his fate The current mayor of Prague, since November 15, 2018, has been a member of the Czech Pirate Party.…
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Chlupáč, the murderous hairy ghost
A half-man/half–beast who appeared as a hairy ghost terrorized brothels on former church property Not all ghosts are see-through, or covered in shrouds. One of Prague’s most dangerous spectres was a hairy…
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A ghostly French major haunts the tunnels of Vyšehrad
The War of Succession left behind a French ghost at Vyšehrad who refuses to accept defeat Not all soldiers leave after a war. Some are left in faraway graves, while others refuse…
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Two headless horsemen haunt Prague’s Nerudova Street
A Swedish soldier and a gambling monk both ride at night as headless horsemen but are harmless One of the darkest moments for Prague was at the end of the Thirty Years’…
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Houska Castle guards a pit leading down into Hell
A chapel at Houska Castle was built on a chasm filled with half-human monsters to keep them in Several places on Earth are thought to be entry portals to hell. A foul-smelling…
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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 kind ghost nun at St Agnes Cloister
A wealthy nobleman tried to break up a romance by having his daughter become a nun The rich should marry the rich, and the poor should marry the poor. That idea was…
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Bruncvík and his magic sword
A dragon-slaying knight and his white lion now guard Charles Bridge Not all of the statues on Charles Bridge are actually on top of the bridge. There is one off to the…
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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…
