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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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The curious legend of 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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The ghost of a runaway lover haunts Platýz Palace
The building on Národní třída has been haunted for over 650 years. A bit lost on busy Národní třída in the commercial shopping area of Prague is a building and courtyard called…
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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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A peasant girl haunts Liechtenstein Palace
The miller’s daughter tried to break into society by attending a ball at Liechtenstein Palace but it ended in tragedy. Every young woman wants to be popular. On Kampa Island, near Charles…
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Pierre de Lasenic, a modern occultist led a mysterious life
Books by the 20th-century occultist Pierre de Lasenic remain in print but the man is an enigma. When people think of the occult in Prague, the time of Rudolf II comes to mind. But…
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Ghost dogs run wild in the streets of Prague
Dogs are ubiquitous in Prague, even in the spirit world where ghost dogs hold a place of pride. One of the first things you will notice in Prague is the number of…
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The creepy Bone Church of Kutná Hora
Bones from 40,000 plague and war victims are in creative sculptures in the Bone Church. The ossuary at Sedlec is generally called the Bone Church, and for good reason. Bones from tens…
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The devil chef of Emauzy
The centuries-old monastery once had some devilishly good food made by a devil chef. The monastery at Emauzy looks pleasant enough from a distance, with its modern concrete wing-shaped spires added in…
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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…
