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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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Our map uncovers secrets of The Tarot of Prague
The Tarot of Prague, Baba Studio's first deck, has caught on with tourists. They have gone looking to uncover the deck's secrets by seeking the places used to create the images.
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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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Terror of a bald ghost haunting Wig Maker’s Hill
A wildly unlikely 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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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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The mysterious White Lady of the Záběhlice Chateau
A ghost 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 and seldom used roads.…
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Mystical gold coins gave rise to two of Prague’s synagogues
Rather fanciful tales put a colorful spin on the origins of some buildings in the Prague’s historical Jewish quarter
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Perchta, the ghostly White Lady of the Rožmberk castles
The famous White Lady had a difficult life but returned after death to look after the Rožmberk family and property
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Legendary Czech entry Guardian of the Flooded Village wins European Tree of the Year
A devil sat beneath the tree to play his eerie violin at night before the village was covered by dam water Legends surround a 350-year-old Scots pine called the Guardian of the…
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Warning! Don’t try robbing a grave in Prague
The failed attempt of the Swedish army to conquer Prague at the end of the Thirty Years’ War has been back in the news, as a Baroque-style Victory Column that was toppled…
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Morana, the Czech goddess of winter and death
Each of the seasons in Slavic folklore is overseen by a god or goddess, though the names and attributes vary greatly from region to region. In Bohemia and Moravia, the female force…
