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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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The tragedy of the House at Death
A May – December romance went horribly wrong in the House at Death in Prague’s Old TownPrague’s street Dlouhá třída, now lined with touristy bars and expensive shops, was once where 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…
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The green frog who ate a tailor
The image of an amphibian above a door is a reminder of a comical tale Not all of Prague’s legends are scary ones. Some are more like extended jokes. The tale of…
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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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Fortunes change on Charles Bridge
Fate frowns on a vain merchant but smiles on a poor villager and bridge guard Two tales tell of strange reversals of fortune that took place on Charles Bridge. One is a…
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The House at the Two Golden Bears joins Heaven and Earth
One of the most elaborate portals in Prague leads to a long-closed tunnel complex Most old European cities have a network of underground tunnels, often now walled up and forgotten. They were…
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Built with the Devil’s help, Part II: Kinský Palace
Kinský Palace may have some dark secrets buried in its foundation Making a large building or a bridge requires a lot of complex math and engineering. But back in the Middle Ages…
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Rival ghosts haunt the House at the Golden Well
Old Town’siconic House at the Golden Well is also home to legends of greed and murder One of the most striking facades on the route from Charles Bridge to Old Town Square…
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Three cursed trios remembered on Prague facades
Building names hold clues to some gruesome tales about cursed trios of people Older buildings in Prague are known not by their numbers but by distinctive names, and corresponding pictures are often…
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The restless skeletons of Old Town
A flaming miser and a top hat-wearing beggar are among the restless skeletons wandering Prague at night Old Town is quite crowded at night with a variety of headless ghosts, flaming ghosts,…
