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Carmilla: the undying allure of the first lesbian vampire story
The original goth girl has inspired a whole genre of fiction The second most popular vampire tale no doubt is Carmilla by Sheridan Le Fanu, published in 1872. This story of a…
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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 long consequences for an evil servant Prague’s menagerie of supernatural critters of course includes a black cat. The tale is one of the most gruesome,…
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Native American and African ghosts haunt far from home
Two of Prague’s sadder ghost legends tell of people who died while on tour with traveling shows Prague has two resident ghosts – a Native American and an African – who died…
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Prague’s cemetery row is a sculpture garden of history
The city’s gardens of stone offer a retreat from the overly touristed center Visitors to Prague can be quickly overwhelmed by how crowded the main tourist attractions are. But the city’s cemetery…
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Tales and meanings of the Prague Orloj – the Astronomical Clock
The Astronomical Clock, a popular tourist attraction, has been restored to its pre-war condition The Astronomical Clock at Prague’s Old Town Square has been rebuilt, returning its inner clockwork to the weights…
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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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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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Legends of the Bohemian Crown Jewels
The Bohemian Crown Jewels and St Wenceslas’ helmet are alleged to have magic powers The real Bohemian Crown Jewels are only shown to the public on special occasions. The rest of the…
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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…
