Mystical stories of Prague. The mystery of the Prague clock

Arriving in Zlata Prague, travelers will certainly wander along the well-trodden tourist path. You should definitely walk across the Royal Charles Bridge, decorated with a string of statues of saints, and take a picture of yourself against the backdrop of the Vltava embankment. You definitely need to wait until the famous astronomical clock of the ancient city hall on Old Town Square begins its little show. You can't miss the changing of the guard near the palace where the president's residence is located. And finally, get to one of the ancient breweries for which Bohemia is famous. The high quality of beer is ensured by a long tradition. Since the 14th century, unscrupulous beer producers would sit in the city square wearing a collar and chain and pour their own low-quality drink on any passers-by who wanted to take revenge for the spoiled pleasure. After a day's walk around the city, there is no need to rush back to the hotel or stay too long in one of the many l famous restaurants, because Prague reveals all its mysteries and secrets at midnight.

As soon as dusk falls on the city, and darkness envelops the ancient medieval streets, everything around is transformed. It was this gloomy Prague that inspired Franz Kafka and Gustav Meyrink to create mystical works. Every house, every door, every garden in the old city has its own history. Many of them have become the property of all humanity, and not just lovers of Czech folklore. The story of Doctor Faustus and the legend of Rabbi Loew, the creator of an artificial creature - the Golem, became world famous.

Mystical elements are organically woven into the history of Prague, adding a special flavor. Even the very foundation of the city is shrouded in a very peculiar legend. The prince's daughter Libusha, who lived in the 9th century, possessed an extremely useful skill for rulers - clairvoyance. One day, standing on a hill above the Vlatva River, she felt another surge of “power” and immediately uttered a prophecy that a city would soon be founded, the glory of which would reach the heavens. The foundation site was supposed to be the threshold of a house, which at that moment was being made by some man.

The prince's servants went in search of this place and soon found a simple plowman named Přemysl, who was just making a prag (“threshold” in Czech). Taking him as her husband, the princess founded not only the dynasty of the Přemyslid princes, but also the city of Prague. Who knows whether that prophecy was a revelation or simply the desire of a noble lady to commit an eccentric act by marrying a low-class man, but thanks to this mystical-romantic story, the beautiful city of Prague appeared in the vastness of Bohemia.

But the city became the real capital of mysticism during the time of the Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II. This very unusual monarch devoted his life not to wars, nor to the discovery of new lands, as was fashionable in his era, but to the search for the philosopher’s stone, capable of turning any metal into gold. Since 1583, when Rudolf moved to the new capital, scientists, alchemists, astrologers, metaphysicians, healers and simply charlatans began to flock to Prague Castle from all over Europe, hoping to gain favor with the emperor.

Rudolf invited some of them personally, sponsoring not only their move to the capital, but also their accommodation. Such scientists as Tycho Brahe and Johannes Kepler, famous astrologers Edward Kelly and John Dee worked under his patronage. According to legend, Golden Street was precisely the place where scientists, astrologers and alchemists of all stripes worked miracles at night. It’s no wonder that every house was a real alchemical workshop, shrouded in secrets.

However, not only Zlata Street is famous for its creepy stories about the alchemical experiments of medieval scientists. There is a house on one of the corners of Charles Square. Local residents are sure that the notorious doctor and warlock Johann Faust, the prototype of many literary and musical works, lived there for some time. In general, many mysterious personalities lived in this house; it seemed to attract everything strange. There is still a terrible cold in the attic of the damned house, and its gloomy garden is considered the last refuge of Faust’s soul, which never found peace. Studying magical formulas in ancient books, Faust found the opportunity to summon the devil. Having concluded an agreement with him, Faust sold his soul and received in exchange the fulfillment of any desires. When the time came to repay the debt, the warlock begged the devil to wait, but he was inexorable. He grabbed Faust and flew out of the house with him right through the roof, knocking out a hole in the tiles. No matter how the subsequent inhabitants of the house repaired this hole, the next day it opened up again. Today the cursed house houses a hospital. But traces of the presence of Faust and the devil still remain in the upper part of the house: a non-disappearing and irreducible stain marks the place from where the devil flew out with the unfortunate soul of the doctor.

Let's return to Emperor Rudolf. After the mass expulsion of all Jews from Spain and Portugal at the end of the 15th century, they found refuge in the domains of Rudolf, since he was more interested not in astrology or alchemy, not in Western European science, but in the ancient Jewish mystical teaching - Kabbalah. In the quarters of the Jewish ghetto of Prague in the 16th century lived an outstanding expert in Kabbalah - the learned Rabbi Yehuda ben Bnzalel, known as Rabbi Loew. For thirty years he was the head of the Jewish community and rabbi of the Old New Synagogue, the oldest synagogue in Europe. Rumor attributed to him exceptional wisdom and possession of secret knowledge of the formula from the mystical book Zohar (“Radiance”). Containing just over a thousand words, this book contains the secrets of God's name, creation, and the meaning of life. Thanks to knowledge of the formula, Lev was able to create a Golem from clay - a living creature that follows the orders of its creator. A peculiar medieval robot bore the word “truth” on its forehead, bringing it to life. Every Friday, Rabbi Loew “deactivated” the Golem so that it would not accumulate excessive energy and cool down. One day he forgot to do this and the Golem, rebelling, almost destroyed the synagogue and the entire ghetto. Lev had to erase the first letter on the Golem’s forehead, turning it into the word “death.” In an instant, the Golem turned into a pile of clay. The rabbi collected it and placed it in the attic of the Old New Synagogue. He walled up the entrance to the attic. Today the Synagogue is open to the public and it is said that the shadow of the Golem can still be seen looming in the attic at night.

A mystical aura envelops Prague even today. If you dare to go to Visegrad at midnight, you have a chance to see a lot of creepy and mysterious things. Here there are witnesses to meetings with the dead who appear during midnight masses. The sentries of one of the artillery depots located next to the old cemetery abandoned their post more than once, hiding from the black afterlife carriage, driven by a headless coachman and drawn by headless black horses. A black ghostly dog ​​with bloody eyes and a fiery tongue brings particular horror to late pedestrians. If you are lucky enough to survive the encounter with the dog, and you notice the place where he was spinning like a wheel, you have a chance to find the entrance to the cellars of the Visegrad Mountain, where countless treasures are stored.

In one of the city cemeteries there is a grave with the image of the girl Anichka. They say that during the birth of a child, a mistake occurred in the family of a poor musician, and the soul of a restless angel was infused into the newborn girl. So an angel appeared on earth, illuminating everything around with his beautiful soul. Anichka’s life was not easy; she felt in her heart that she had to help everyone - both honest people and criminals. Many often abused her kindness. Finally, God had mercy and took the angel back to heaven - Anichka was playing by the window and, reaching for a toy, fell out of it.

Text: Hanna Rolinska

Prague is rightfully considered one of the most mystical cities in Europe. Those who crave mysticism and witchcraft are recommended to get acquainted with Czech witches, golems, ghosts, sorcerers and other evil spirits.

BURNING OF A WITCH

Unbelievable but true. Witches are still burned in Prague. True, not living flesh and blood, but stuffed animals depicting Satan’s minions. The event, somewhat reminiscent of our Maslenitsa, takes place in Ladronka Park on the night of April 30 to May 1.

In the photo: a still from the film “Monty Python and the Holy Grail”

In addition to the “witches”, sausages are fried on the fires, and the people enjoy beer libations. The date was not chosen by chance - the night from April 30 to May 1 bore the name of Walpurgis in the old days. It was believed that it was at this time that the boundaries between the material world and the world of spirits expanded, and witches held an annual Sabbath on Bald Mountain.

On other days, Prague witches can be seen in the city bazaars; toys in the form of “the devil’s mistresses” are constantly sold here. If you clap your hands next to the dolls, the eyes of the toy witches “light up”, and the ladies in hats burst into ominous laughter.

GOLEM OF THE JEWISH QUARTER

The Golem is a character from the legends of the Jewish ghetto. According to legend, in March 1580, the Chief Rabbi of Prague, Lev ben Bezalel, created a clay figure about one meter fifty in height, and then breathed life into it using cabalistic spells.

The clay robot was named Golem, and was used by the rabbi to protect the Jewish people and help with housework. The rabbi revived his “assistant” with the help of a tablet (shem) with the name of God, which he put into the Golem’s mouth. One day the rabbi forgot to take the Golem Shem out of his mouth, it came to life, began to grow in size, and then rebelled and set off to destroy everything around (apparently, he wanted to get paid, or thus asked for a well-deserved vacation).

In the photo: Golem in a modern interpretation

The golem was pacified (read: killed) by removing a magic shem from its mouth. The clay body of the monster was kept for many years in the attic of the Old New Synagogue, from where it later disappeared in an unknown direction.

PRAGUE ALCHEMISTS

By far the most famous alchemist, medium and mystic to reside in Prague was Edward Kelly. The alchemist was famous for his ability to summon spirits and angels using a crystal ball and supposedly could turn any metal into gold.

In the photo: Alchemists Museum and Bar, sign

It was he, and not Doctor Faust, who lived in the House of Faust at Karlovo namesti 40. Today, in the Mala Strana region, in the house “At the Donkey’s Cradle,” an alchemy museum is opened, entirely dedicated to the dubious activities of Edward Kelly.

In the next building there is the Alchemists bar, quiet and very cozy. The interior of the establishment is decorated with a variety of pipes, flasks and other items for the production of the philosopher's stone.

PRAGUE GHOSTS

Like any decent Gothic city, Prague is home to many ghosts. Naturally, ghosts prefer to settle in the historical center of the city.

In the photo: map of the haunts of Prague

The most famous Prague ghost is the spirit of Jan Hus, a preacher and ideologist of the Czech Reformation, who openly criticized the policies of the Catholic Church and was burned along with his works on June 6, 1415 in the German city of Constance.

It is believed that the ghost can be seen at night near the Bethlehem Chapel, where Hus preached during his lifetime. According to another version, the spirit of the Bethlem Chapel is the ghost of Master Palech, mourning the execution of Huss. The second ghost is the symbol of Prague - the spirit of Jachim Berha; there is even a monument to him near the town hall. During his life, he was a military man and, returning from the war, believed the gossip that his bride was unfaithful to him. As a result, Yachim married someone else, and his ex-fiancee committed suicide.

In the photo: a monument to a ghost in Prague

Soon, Jachim’s wife became an alcoholic, and therefore Berhi strangled her at the first opportunity, after which he hanged himself in his own house on Good Friday. Now the soul of Jachim appears on Platner Street once every hundred years in the hope of talking to an innocent girl. If this happens, the ghost will finally calm down, but, as we know, there is tension with innocent girls in Europe now, so Jachim’s torment continues to this day.

In the photo: a still from the film “The Well and the Pendulum”

On Wallenstein Square you can see the spirit of trumpeter Ruprecht. They say that Ruprecht made a bet with another musician that he could blow the trumpet continuously for 10 minutes. Unfortunately, on this day the Prague prince had a toothache, and he went on a rampage, that is, he ran around the neighborhood and cut off the heads of everyone who came to hand with a saber. Because the trumpeter was blowing, the prince cut off his head too. Since then, the ghost has taken to the streets of Prague, holding a pipe in one hand and a head in the other.

In the photo: a still from the film “Sleepy Hollow”

Among the Prague ghosts there are also expats, for example, a French major who commanded the soldiers who took Prague in 1741 and died in battle. They say that the ghost is distinguished by French gallantry, always greeting passers-by and politely raising his hat when meeting ladies.

FIRE GHOSTS

The ghosts on Kaprova Street love to “light up” in the truest sense of the word. So, here you can see the burning spirit of the university gatekeeper. They say that during his lifetime he constantly pestered students, and one day the students decided to play a bad joke on him: they dragged the gatekeeper into the basement, showed him the scaffold and proclaimed that he should perish.

The gatekeeper disappeared, but not forever. Now his ghost in the form of a figure consecrated by the flames of hell can be found on the streets of Prague. It is believed that if a student shakes the ghost’s hand, the soul of the unfortunate person will find peace. Another burning spirit that haunts the area is the miser's ghost. Died in a fire after running out of the house with a bag of money. The townspeople took his money, but they did not help the miser survive, and since then his spirit has been walking around the block at night.

Another fiery ghost lives near the Church of St. Jacob. According to legend, this is the butcher Thomas, who did not take part in the battle with the Swedes (the girl persuaded her lover not to go fight). Now his ghost walks around the church, waving a burning ax and calling everyone to battle.

GHOSTS FROM CATHEDRALS

The Church of the Virgin Mary in front of Tyn is a real ghost hostel. Here lives the spirit of a Turk who decided to marry a native of Prague. The girl changed her mind a week before the wedding, and the Turk cut off her head. A ghost appears at the temple with the severed head of a bride, which she drags by the hair.

In the photo: Church of the Virgin Mary in front of Tyn

The other two ghosts of Tyn Cathedral were ladies during their lifetime. One was an aristocrat, distinguished by bad morals and tormenting everyone around her. At the end of her life, she repented, gave money to the poor and donated a gigantic sum for a new bell for the cathedral. True, this did not help her; at night the woman’s spirit rings the temple bell, installed with her own money.

The second spirit is the snow woman. Appears in Prague in winter and sweeps the area near the cathedral. They say that this woman’s husband was a church watchman, he slipped on the fresh snow and died, so after his death (his and her own) she has to tirelessly clean the paths.

St. Peter's Basilica also has its own ghost, this is the spirit of the watchman who once worked there. Usually the ghost walks nearby and invites passers-by to play cards with him (during his lifetime, the watchman was a gambling fan).

NUN, COURTESAN AND MAID

According to legend, the spirit of a headless nun can be seen on Liliovaya Street. This ghost is, so to speak, a typical victim of love passions. During life, the ghost was the daughter of a rich nobleman. The girl fell in love with a poor nobleman, which her dad really didn’t like, because he dreamed of marrying off his daughter profitably. The angry father sent his only child to a Dominican monastery, but the lovers decided not to give up, and the girl, with the assistance of her beloved, fled from the monastery.

In the photo: a still from the film “The Story of a Nun”

Of course, the ending of this story turned out to be in the style of the best horror films. The father overtook the couple and cut off his daughter's head with his own sword. The result is another Prague legend, another headless spirit. But near the Old Town Square there is a very interesting couple of spirits walking: a woman of easy virtue and a priest. One evening a chaplain was walking along Tseletnaya Street. A girl of easy virtue, seeing the priest, decided to joke and bared her breasts.

In the photo: a still from the film “Notre Dame Cathedral”, 1939

The chaplain did not appreciate the humor and pierced the prostitute’s head with a cross. True, when he saw that the girl had died, he was so upset that he died on the spot. Since then, their souls (what irony!) have been inseparable, she shows him her breasts, and he runs away. A striptease of the ghost of a fallen woman can be seen (if you're lucky) on Tseletnaya Street.

The House at the Golden Well is haunted by the spirit of a maid. The girl believed that a treasure was hidden in the well, tried to get it, but drowned, and now her ghost walks around the neighborhood. By the way, according to legend, another pair of ghosts guarded the treasure: a Spanish knight and his wife. On the way home, they stopped for the night in the House at the Well, and the owner of the house, coveting the couple’s wealth, cut off their heads.

The spirits lived in the house for a long time, until a pastry chef moved into the same building. He found the bodies in the basement and ground them. In gratitude, the ghosts told him where the treasure was buried and did not appear in the house again.

SPIRITS WITH KNIVES: ARMED AND DANGEROUS

Two Prague ghosts love to walk around the city with bladed weapons. The first is a barber who went crazy after he began to get involved in alchemy. According to legend, a ghost likes to pester passers-by with an offer to shave; you can meet the spirit on Karlova Street.

In the photo: a still from the film “Nosferatu”

But on Truhlarzhska Street you can see another dangerous ghost - the spirit of a Pirate trying to find the girl who stole his chest of money.

GHOSTS FROM THE JEWISH GHETTO

The Jewish ghetto is full of ghosts. The most famous ghost is a dancing Jewish girl who can dance passers-by to death. They say that during her life the ghost was a girl of easy virtue who was beaten and ordered to dance until the Last Judgment, so she dances.

In addition to the dancer, the Jewish ghetto is also famous for the ghost of the strangler. During life, the ghost was a beautiful Jewish woman who fell in love with a monk from the monastery of St. Nicholas. The girl secretly met with a monk in the monastery crypt, until the abbot of the monastery found out about this and sent her lover to another monastery. After everything that happened, the young lady went crazy and strangled the abbot; now her soul wanders around the ghetto in search of new victims.

In the photo: a still from Karen Elson’s video “The Truth Is In The Dirt”

Another spirit of the ghetto is a Jew who decided to be baptized during his lifetime and worked as an organist in St. Vitus Cathedral. Before his death, he decided to return to Judaism and was buried in a Jewish cemetery, but the gods do not like those who change religion like gloves. Now every night the spirit of the musician leaves his grave in the Jewish cemetery and goes on a boat in the company of a skeleton to play the organ in St. Vitus Cathedral.

There are also legends that at night a fiery chariot drawn by goats drives around the Jewish ghetto. When you meet her, you can stay alive, or you can fall dead, the chances are about 50 to 50.

Did you like the material? Join us on facebook

Yulia Malkova- Yulia Malkova - founder of the website project. In the past, he was the editor-in-chief of the elle.ru Internet project and the editor-in-chief of the cosmo.ru website. I talk about travel for my own pleasure and the pleasure of my readers. If you are a representative of hotels or a tourism office, but we do not know each other, you can contact me by email: [email protected]

Our creativity attracted the attention of the famous tourism program “Heads and Tails”.

Megatour + Heads and Tails

To visit the capital of the Czech Republic and not come into contact with its legends means to lose a lot. Of course, we could not allow such a development of events, so we invite all guests of the city to take a simply amazing journey through time with us! Before you even blink an eye, the “Mystical Prague” excursion, organized by MegaTour, will take you straight... to the Middle Ages. After all, it was in that distant time that the famous Golem, the Headless Knight, as well as alchemists and magicians wandered along the narrow ancient streets. Not to mention Princess Libusha, the One-Armed Thief, the spirit of the Miller's daughter and many, many others. Just imagine: you are following in the footsteps of the most famous mystical characters, whose names are firmly associated with the legends and secrets of the glorious city, the first mention of which dates back to the distant 9th century. Fascinating, isn't it? But that’s not all: while traveling through historical places, you will not only get to know the sights, but also hear the legends of Prague, which our most creative guide will tell you during the excursion.

Special mention should be made about him. He is an extremely extraordinary person. Its appearance may even confuse you at first. And indeed: in what other city, if not in Prague, does he conduct excursions - just imagine! - a real and at the same time mystical skeleton guide, which looks the part. But as soon as you get to know him better, we assure you, you will be imbued with such sympathy for him that you simply will not want to part with him.

mystical prague reviews

Who, if not he, can talk so bewitchingly, for example, about mermen and witches? At some point, he may get so carried away that he will call on his friends - charming ghosts - to help him. And in such wonderful company, under the light of night lamps, you will learn about how medieval Prague lived - from the mysterious to the funny. By the way, it has been noticed that mystical creatures love to walk near the capital’s famous pubs, and groups of tourists often meet them there. The end result is a good continuation of the party - believe us!

Yes, magical Prague cannot help but attract people. Everyone is convinced of this, having at least once come into contact with its wondrous legends, mystical stories and exciting fairy tales. Coming again to this glorious ancient city, tourists invariably want to hear something new about its past, so rich in secrets and wonders. Therefore, we, the MegaTour company, will always find something to surprise you with during our exclusive costumed excursions.

Many people know that Prague is called the mystical capital not only of the Czech Republic, but of the whole of Europe.

Gustav Meyrink, a writer and financier (who was rumored to have used forbidden occult techniques in the fight against competitors), gives his definition of the uniqueness of Prague: “Other cities, no matter how ancient they may be, seem to me to be slaves of those who live in them; they seem disinfected with some strong sterilizing acid - Prague controls its inhabitants like puppets: pulling their strings from their first to their last breath."

But why did the city achieve such fame?

Let's create an excursion route to answer this question.

1. Attraction: Clock tower in the central square of Prague

The 15th century astronomical clock is located in the Clock Tower in the central square of Prague. The dial shows not only the time, but also the zodiac sign, sunrise and sunset, both sun and moon, calendar and lunar phase. Every hour the skeleton rings a bell by pulling a rope. They say that the only one who knew how the clock worked was its creator. According to legend, the advisors, fearing that similar clocks would be created in other cities and Prague would no longer be their sole owner, attacked the master and blinded him. Despite his blindness, he lived to a ripe old age, and at the end of his life he took revenge on the city that thanked him so much for creating the unique watch. One day he walked up to the clock, put his hand on the mechanism, and the gears began to move many times faster, and then stopped. The clock did not work for more than 100 years until a craftsman was found who could repair it.

2. Attraction: Old New Synagogue

Rabbi Levi - one of the most brilliant thinkers of his time, is known in history as a magician and wizard. He led the Jewish community in Prague for more than 30 years. His temple, called the Old New Synagogue, is not only the oldest operating in Europe, but also the most mysterious. The oldest synagogue in Europe was built in medieval times. A fire in 1687 reduced most of it to smoldering ruins. Rabbi Levi was not only a spiritual director, but also a master of the Jewish mystical teaching known as Kabbalah. Kabbalah is an ancient Jewish spiritual teaching, according to which those who comprehend it acquire magical power. In a word, according to legend, Rabbi Levi comprehended Kabbalah and learned the mysterious formula for creating an artificial person, who received the name Golem. According to the Jewish theory of mysticism, imitation of the acts of God is not a forbidden form of magic. According to legend, Rabbi Levi went down to the river with his student and son-in-law, where he sculpted a figure of a man from clay, performed a mysterious ritual, wrote a word in Hebrew on his forehead, which translated means “Truth” - after which the Golem came to life.

3. Attraction: Golem

The Golem was created to protect the Jewish community from anti-Semitism. But one day the Golem refused to obey its creator and tried to destroy the old synagogue, so Rabbi Levi had to destroy it. He erased the first of the letters written on his forehead, after which he got the word meaning “to die” - this is what killed him. Rabbi Levi collected the ashes of the Golem and buried them in the attic of the Old New Synagogue and walled up the door there. Prague's biggest secret remains unsolved - whether the ashes remained in the attic of the synagogue or were moved, and whether they were there at all. The legend of the Golem still lives on, connecting the past, present and future. The legendary Golem was destroyed in the 15th century. But the Czech legend has influenced literature, cinema, art, music and even science. (Book and film - Frankenstein, science - cloning, creation of robots, computer characters).

4. Landmark: House of Faust

The mysterious House of Faust is located in Prague. According to legend, the German scientist and warlock Johann Faust lived here. Using devilish power, the doctor studied astrology and had intentions of deciphering the secret of the movement of the planets. The decrepit, blind scientist, during his meditations, suddenly felt that the secrets of the Universe had finally been revealed to him. At the same moment, the ceiling vault parted, and a mad whirlwind carried away the unfortunate Faust to fulfill the terms of the agreement with Mephistopheles. Since then, the townspeople considered the house a haven of evil spirits and tried to avoid it.

Later, the most famous version of the legend of Doctor Faustus was reflected in one of the most striking works of the outstanding German poet Johann Wolfgang Goethe.

5. Landmark: Charles Bridge

Charles Bridge is one of the most popular and famous landmarks of Prague. It has an amazing history and legend of its creation: they say that in order to be able to build this beautiful bridge, the architect had to make a deal with the devil. The Charles Bridge, built by master Peter Parler on the instructions of King Charles IV of the Luxembourg dynasty, connects not only Lesser Town with the Old Town - this bridge seems to have been thrown across centuries. During the era of the Crusades, the most important strategic crossing on the route that was supposed to end in Jerusalem was located here. There is evidence that the Charles Bridge was built in accordance with astrological and numerological prescriptions. Its sculpture gallery preserves the memory of sacred milestones of Czech history. According to legend, the place where the famous Prague knight stands was marked in ancient times by a pagan temple, and the idol, overthrown from here, still lies at the bottom of the river. The island of Kampa, covered by a bridge, is separated from Mala Strana by a channel called Certovka. This name did not arise by chance - mills have stood here since ancient times (and millers, as you know, are known with evil spirits). One of the houses remained in Prague history under the name “At the Seven Devils”.

6. Landmark: statue of Bishop John of Nepomuk

It is believed that the spirit of holiness is also present on the Charles Bridge. Between the sixth and seventh bays there is a statue of the holy bishop John of Nepomuk (Nepomuk). From this very place in 1393 the Prague archbishop was thrown into the river. Tradition says that King Wenceslas IV doomed him to death for refusing to reveal the queen's secret confession. Today, generally speaking, not very religious Czechs come to the statue to entrust their deepest secrets to Jan Nepomuk and make wishes (which they believe will be granted).

7. Attraction: Vysehrad

Some of the first events in Czech history are associated with Visegrad. Princess-prophetess Libuše, the founder of the Visegrad fortress on a rock above the Vltava, ordered the hero Přemysl to be brought to her straight from the plow to make him her husband. From their marriage came the dynasty of Czech kings. After Libuse's death, her friends tried to defend the matriarchal order in the famous War of the Maidens, but were defeated.

It is believed that Libuše did not lay down the burden of caring for her people even after her death. Her messenger - a headless knight - appears under the walls of Visegrad. He is tasked with finding out what life is like for Czechs in the Czech lands and reporting this to his mistress. (Popular belief in its poetic vision does not consider the absence of a head to be an obstacle to this task). If Libuše receives news that the Czechs need her help, she can stand up for her people. They say that under the cliff on which the Visegrad Castle was built, the knights of Libuše have been sleeping for more than a thousand years, ready to awaken at the word of their mistress. Legend tells that Libuše, accompanied by young maidens, often went to the bathhouse under the walls of Vyšehrad. It is believed that when twilight falls on Prague, beauties from the last millennium appear in the place where they served their mistress, and a late traveler can hear their enchanting singing.

8. Attraction: Prague Castle

The gloomy spirits of pagan times swirl, gathering near the City. They come from that era when the ancient gods of the Slavs desperately resisted the advent of a new faith. The founder of the City, Prince Borzhivoy (850-895), together with his wife Lyudmila, was converted to Christianity by the creator of the Slavic alphabet, Methodius. Borzhivoj had a son, Vratislav. He himself was a good Christian, but his wife Dragomira, although she was baptized, followed pagan customs. After the death of Vratislav, Dragomira became the ruler-regent under her young son Vaclav. A pagan not only by faith, but also by character, Dragomira was distinguished by her irrepressible disposition. Surrounding herself with like-minded people, she tried to turn back the history of the Czech Republic, reviving pre-Christian orders. Lyudmila tried to ensure that Dragomira was removed from board affairs. But the treacherous princess took cruel revenge on her mother-in-law. The assassins they sent broke into Lyudmila while she was praying and strangled her. This happened in 927. Folk legend tells of the terrible end of Dragomira. One day she left Prague Castle to make a sacrifice to pagan deities. Along the way, Dragomira shouted curses at Christianity. Her blasphemies did not go unpunished - suddenly the earth opened up, sulfur flames blazed from the chasm, and the chariot with the princess was swallowed up by the hellish abyss. Prague residents know that Dragomira can appear in our time on a carriage engulfed in hellish fire without a coachman. On dark and stormy nights, amid the reflections of lightning and the howling of the wind, hellish horses carry her through the streets of Hradcan. Another legend says that the soul of the princess, who has not received repose, appears once a year in the form of a fiery dog ​​at the Church of St. Mikulasha.

9. Attraction: Museum of Ghosts and Legends of Prague

The museum does not set itself the goal of scaring tourists; on the contrary, it introduces the history and legends of the capital of the Czech Republic.

On the ground floor, guests are greeted by a book of legends, which is guarded by the spirit of Prague. Here, in different languages ​​of the world, you can learn the stories of ghosts, as well as the places where they appear.

In the underground part of the museum there are streets of the Old City with ghosts and ghosts. Here guests will meet: a Golem, a devil, a headless Templar, gnomes and many other heroes of traditions and legends.

The Museum of Ghosts and Legends hosts "scare nights" where the museum's inhabitants frighten visitors.

10. Ghosts on the streets of the city

- Headless Templar

For many years, among Prague residents there has been a rumor about a handsome Templar knight, doomed to eternal night wanderings through the mysterious labyrinth of the ancient streets of the Old Town. The graceful white horse, without which the knight was never seen, gives the knight a special romanticism. The Templar holds his noble head in his hands and begs passers-by to free his soul. However, giving him freedom is not easy. What will save him from his mortal ghostly existence is not just strength, but also courage. It is necessary to stop the snow-white horse, grab the sword and mercilessly thrust it into the very heart of the Templar. An eerie headless Templar wanders between midnight and one in the morning along Liliova Street - picturesque but frightening.

- Murdered Nun

At night, a ghost known as the ghost of the murdered nun haunts the Jewish Quarter around the Convent of St. Agnes. However, according to legend, the murdered girl never became a nun. The sight is quite sad: a bloodied girl walks and sobs. However, if your heart is lonely and broken, then she will feel it and smile at you with a caring, understanding smile. Legend says that this girl is the daughter of rich and very noble parents. She had the misfortune of falling in love with a poor noble knight. Upon learning of this, her father became angry. Of course, there was no question of a wedding because the knight was a man belonging to the lower class. Wanting to punish his daughter for disobedience, the father promised to send her to the monastery of St. Agnes. On the last night before leaving, the unfortunate future nun wanted to see her lover... However, her father became aware of this. And he not only prevented the meeting, he angrily attacked his own daughter and mercilessly stabbed her to death. They say that one day this ghost stopped a girl who was about to poison herself because she could not live happily with her lover. The ghost took the poison away from the girl, after which he placed a bag of money in the unfortunate woman’s hands instead, advising the girl to live calmly, happily and richly with her lover, without thinking about anything bad and without remembering the misfortunes she had experienced.

- The Miller's Daughter

This ghost is also a young girl, but she is not very generous. According to legend, the girl was the daughter of the richest miller in Novaya Strana, one of the districts of Prague. She was quite spoiled and always got what she wanted. But, as usually happens, she wanted even more. The cherished desire of the miller's daughter was high society. She always wanted to be a part of it. However, none of the upper class young men asked her to marry, and she almost despaired. But having learned about the ball of noble persons taking place in the Liechtenstein Palace, she again remembered her dream and wished to receive an invitation there. The unfortunate caring father used all possible means and connections to get this invitation for his beloved daughter, but everything was useless. Nobody wanted to see a simpleton at the ball. But the persistent girl did not stop. She made a fatal mistake - she made a deal with the devil! The devil himself brought her to the ball at the palace. Imagine her disappointment when absolutely none of the guests present paid the slightest attention to her! Noble ladies did not talk to the miller's daughter, and stately gentlemen did not ask her to dance. The vain girl was so upset and outraged that she became hysterical and screamed at the whole room until she was forcibly taken home to her father. Since then, she lived calmly and did not strive for high society, remembering her shame and, most importantly, the deal. She also died quietly and calmly, a natural death. However, because of the bloody deal, the unfortunate woman was obliged to return to the ill-fated Liechtenstein Palace. But already a ghost. The ghost she made turned out to be quite disgusting. It’s as if she’s taking revenge on the whole world: she knocks down older people, chases young boys, shouting and persuading them to dance, and even rushes at beautiful young girls, scratching their faces, biting them until not a trace of beauty remains.

The miller's daughter can be found in the Liechtenstein Palace on the embankment near Charles Bridge. Street U Sovových mlýnů 506/4. However, it is hardly worth looking for a meeting with her: this is one of the most dangerous ghosts!

- Fat merchant

This ghost is very friendly. During his life, he was not interested in money, gold, or jewelry. His only goal was food! It would be difficult to find a greater glutton in the entire Czech Republic. He had the biggest belly in the country! He ate his fill even when others were starving to death. One evening the fat man came to his favorite pub, Valdstejnska, located near the modern Senate building. The merchant immediately ate a whole huge turkey with several side dishes, ate two roasted geese and washed down all this gluttony with twenty bottles of wine. It seemed that the fat man had eaten his fill, but was still sitting in the pub. At this time a beggar came there. Seeing the merchant have a piece of bread left over from a hearty lunch, the beggar asked to give it to him. But the fat merchant only laughed in the beggar’s face. Of course, the gluttonous merchant did not share his food with the poor man. He got angry and wished the impudent glutton to burst! And so it happened: the merchant burst, sparing the remaining piece of bread for the beggar. However, even after death he is punished. He wanders somewhere around the New Country, constantly sad and self-pitying. His soul can only be freed if the homeless man takes pity on him. But so far not a single beggar has shed a tear or offered the fat man a piece of bread.

The fat merchant can be found at night in New Country on Tomasska street 20/16.

- Iron Man

The ghost of Iron Man is so popular in Prague that they even erected a monument to him in the Old Town. His name is Joachim Berka. They say that this unfortunate man has been yearning for freedom for about four hundred years, even more. Once upon a time he was engaged to his beloved. They were already planning a happy wedding, but war broke out in the country and Joachim had to leave his beloved and defend his native Czech Republic. During his absence, rumors spread around the city that Joachim's fiancee had not remained faithful. He found out about this when he returned from the war. At first Joachim was very upset, but then he married another good girl who lived next door. However, the rumors turned out to be slander, and the former bride drowned herself in grief. Her father felt incredibly disgraced, so he also committed suicide, but in a different way: he jumped from a high tower. Joachim Berka, of course, soon found out about everything, and his conscience began to torment him endlessly. He realized that he was mistaken. He decided to atone for his mistake quite radically: on Good Friday, the young man strangled his wife, after which he hanged himself. As you can see, according to legend, he did not die a natural death, so there is nothing surprising in his mental lack of freedom. The ghost still haunts Platnerska Street.

- Skeleton Beggar

The Prague ghost of a skeletal beggar wanders after sunset every day in the neighborhood near Carolinum (part of Charles University). If passers-by are sober, he won’t even approach them. But from those who are “tipsy,” he constantly begs for money. The Skeleton's story is quite sad. During his lifetime he was an unusually tall and handsome young man. His name was Vincent, and he worked at the Faculty of Medicine, which was formerly called Carolinum. The anatomy professor always admired the young man’s amazing growth, and even honestly told Vincent that he dreamed of seeing his skeleton in his collection. The young man had a job, but was still very poor, so he invited the old professor right then, while Vincent was still alive, to buy his skeleton. The professor was delighted and agreed, giving the young man a considerable amount of money. To celebrate, the young man spent every last crown on alcohol and gambling. That same evening, during a fight in a bar, he was killed by drunken drinking buddies. Since then, the skeleton beggar has been wandering the streets of Prague and asking for money from drunken passers-by he meets along the way. He still cherishes the hope of buying his freedom from the professor.

Prague is the capital of the Czech Republic, always mysterious and beautiful, regardless of the time of year. Coming here, you get the feeling that it continues to live its medieval life, allowing inquisitive travelers only a glimpse into its great and sometimes mystical past. So what kind of beauty is she - Prague?

In this ancient city, there is always a feeling of some kind of duality and understatement: Prague seems simple, and at the same time mysterious and captivating with the gold of its facades and spiers, red tile roofs, many fairy tales and legends born in the tangle of its tangled, narrow streets . The best time to learn Prague myths and legends is winter, when the city is shrouded in an openwork snow shawl; at this time it is especially romantic. The city is very good for people who are simply delighted with the medieval streets, with old houses that look like they came out of a picture from their favorite book. Men in Prague are attracted by the famous beer halls, which produce tasty and light beer according to original recipes that have been preserved since the Middle Ages. And none of the family members will be left indifferent by the architectural beauty of the city and the mysteries of history associated with it.

So, what is Prague like? Why is her name persistently associated with mysticism? The name of the city “Prague” means “threshold” in Czech. You may ask: what is so mystical here? It is, in fact, a kind of threshold, a line between everyday life and the secrets hidden behind its ancient facades. Prague was built taking into account astrological laws; just a few centuries ago, the city would have been recognized as a world alchemical and esoteric center. The city's second-hand bookstores even sell guides to mystical Prague.

We recommend starting your tour of this fabulous city with a visit to the Charles Bridge - one of the main symbols of the city, a construction and... culinary masterpiece. “Culinary” - because when mixing the solution that held the stones together, milk and eggs were added to it for strength. But since there was not enough food in Prague itself, King Charles the Fourth ordered to send a cartload of eggs from each Czech village. Everyone did just that, only the residents of the village of Velvara, worried that the eggs would go rotten on the way, also took care of boiling them... There is another interesting legend concerning the Charles Bridge. They say that the Dalai Lama once visited Prague and stated that the location of the bridge is exactly at the “center of the Universe”; there is no negative energy here. So when you are on the Charles Bridge, be sure to listen to your feelings, is that true? By the way, if you are on the Charles Bridge, be sure to feed the seagulls - “for good luck.”

From this bridge, Charles Street leads to the city center, covered with even more legends, and it’s not even worth talking about the number of attractions on it - there are a great many of them. We’ll tell you just one legend about Charles Street, so as not to take away bread from the hardworking tour guides. In Prague, there is a myth about a crazy barber, whose presence with a razor in his hands is often seen by both local residents and guests of the city in inclement weather or on a full moon. This unfortunate barber lived during the reign of the Czech king Rudolf II. One night, great knowledge descended on him, and he decided to take up alchemy. He spent all his property acquired through back-breaking labor in search of the philosopher's stone. When he spent his savings, he mortgaged his house, but went bankrupt without discovering anything, and as a result he went crazy. And so he died. But his soul cannot calm down in any way, since, as they say, he received great knowledge in exchange for it. So he continues to this day, meeting passers-by in the dark and threatening them with a straight razor, demanding money from them to continue his mystical experiments. True, according to the latest eyewitness accounts, he no longer asks for money, but simply offers to shave.

There is also Charles Square in Prague, but it is located quite far from the bridge and the street. This square has long been considered the mystical esoteric center of Europe. They say that in the house at number forty on the above-mentioned square lived the famous Doctor Faust - a magician and warlock who sold his soul to the devil and it was from this house that the devil took him with him, they flew straight through the roof, and the hole gaped in the roof for many years. No matter how they tried to patch it, nothing worked: the hole appeared again and again. Only today, the roof was repaired, and they decided to open the Alchemy Museum in the house - the most interesting in the world.

The next mystical place in Prague is Vysehrad. This is a fortress-cathedral located on the rocky banks of the Vltava River, where the very first princes and kings of the Czech Republic lived. The famous princess Libushe, who predicted world fame for Prague, also lived here. In Visegrad you can admire stunning sights - the Rotunda of St. Martin, the famous Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul. But tourists are attracted here by Visegrad legends. After all, without hearing myths and mysterious stories, you will not understand “what is this Prague like?” They say that in this fortress King Matthias kept the world-famous Count Dracula imprisoned for twelve years for his atrocities. And in the garden of this fortress there are stones that the devil himself brought, although for what purpose he did this, the legend does not explain.

Visegrad has its own ghost - the French major who commanded the troops that captured the city in 1741. Here he died heroically, and ever since then, his restless spirit began to wander through these places. For a long time, he was a real punishment for the caretakers and sentries of the fortress, as he appeared not only at night, tickling the sentries and attacking patrols, but also during the day, frightening tourists. Everything continued until the end of the nineteenth century, until the spirit of the violent major was pacified. One tourist, with the rank of lieutenant, seeing the silhouette of a man in uniform, and not even realizing that it was a ghost, greeted him according to military regulations, saluting him, as it should be. Then the ghost of the major smiled and, patting the tourist by the shoulders, disappeared. Since then, if the spirit of the major appeared in Visegrad, he was always in a good mood, nodded to passers-by, greeting them, and when the military saluted him, he was very happy. In general, he behaves as a respectable ghost should.

Next, the mystical guide to Prague leads us to the Jewish quarter of Josefov - this is an old, very cozy area, where there are squat houses and beautiful synagogues. A legend about the Golem, the first man created by the hands of a magician, is associated with this place. They say that Rabbi Rabbi Levi lived in this quarter, who loved to practice magic in his free time. And so, one night, sitting on the shore, he molded a man from river clay, calling him Golem. Every day Levi put a magical “sign of life” into the hole on the Golem’s forehead, and he went to protect the Jews. In the evening the magician took out this record. But one day, he forgot to do this, and the Golem got out of control and began to destroy everything. After that he disappeared somewhere. But to this day, the servants of the Old Synagogue - the oldest in Central Europe - are afraid to go down into the basements of the building, as they fear that the Golem is still hiding there. Interestingly, apartments in this area of ​​​​Prague are the most expensive in the country, which leads to the idea that the locals are not as timid as the clergy.

Mysticism is also associated with Golden Lane; it was built this way because gold minters and the Prague poor used to live here. The houses on the street look like gingerbread houses: multi-level, small, painted in bright colors. Now no one lives in them; they are rented out to sellers of souvenirs, old books and lace scarves. Nearby stands the Belvedere - the wonderful palace of Queen Anne - also a place shrouded in secrets and legends. This residence of the Habsburgs was the center of alchemy in the Czech Republic, and the alchemists themselves settled in the gingerbread houses of Golden Lane. By the way, there is a legend that there is a “House at the Last Lantern” on it, under which a huge treasure is buried. But only a person with magical powers can see this house. So, you can go and check, what if the treasure has been waiting for you all this time?

Well, so, have you realized how mysterious Prague is? It is clear that the cultural and architectural monuments of the Middle Ages have always become the source of various legends and traditions, which were not always based on reliable facts, but, nevertheless, has this made Prague any less beautiful and delightful? Be sure to visit this wonderful and mysterious city to feel its elusive charm for yourself.