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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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Mystery in stone: the New Town Hall palindrome
Two sentences in Latin are the same backwards and forwards If you look closely at the side of the tower of the New Town Hall next to Prague’s Karlovo náměstí, you will…
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The Rudolfine Tunnel, a technical marvel from a strange time
A 400-year-old engineering feat runs beneath Prague’s Letná district. Emperor Rudolf II is mostly remembered for his pursuit of esoteric arts like alchemy and astrology, or his vast collections of curiosities including…
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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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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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Morana, the Czech goddess of winter and death
Traces of the Slavic deity can still be found in Prague. Each of the seasons in Slavic folklore is overseen by a god or goddess, though the names and attributes vary greatly…
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A mermaid found love at a long-vanished Prague pond
A village stood outside the Old Town walls, and its pond was home to a sad but beautiful mermaid. The Czech word for a little pond is Rybníček, and in pagan times…
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Ruprecht the Trumpeter: A headless ghost haunts the Senate
One of Prague’s finest palaces is home to a headless ghost who missed an important command. Some people like to sleep in late, especially after a night of partying. And isn’t it…
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A practical guide to Moravian vampires
In the early 1700s, Czechia was the center of suspected vampire activity There was a “vampire panic” across much of Central and Eastern Europe in the first half of the 18th century.…
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Ghostly goats wander in the Golden City
Among the more curious supernatural apparitions in Prague are some stubborn ghostly goats. Prague at night is a virtual menagerie of spectral animals. There are the mundane yet otherworldly dogs and cats, and 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 villain. The monastery at Emauzy looks pleasant enough from a distance, with its modern concrete wings added in…
