Mystical Prague excursion forum. Secrets of mystical Prague
Prague is the most mystical city in Europe. Medieval legends about powerful magicians, alchemists and monsters have not lost their appeal over time. And even on the contrary, they have acquired an aura of even greater mystery, which excites the imagination and spurs the desire to see unusual places in the Czech capital.
The Wizard Zhito: an evil sorcerer or a clever magician
The era of King Wenceslas IV is reflected in many Czech legends, the heroes of which are characters with outstanding abilities. The wizard named Zhito is a mysterious figure. In the book of the writer Alois Jiraska “Old Czech Legends” there are many stories about his deeds, which cannot be given an unambiguous assessment. An evil sorcerer, a helpful spy for the king, or a clever magician-hypnotist - you can’t tell right away.
Zhito could turn 30 sheaves of grain into grimy piglets and sell them profitably to a greedy baker. I told the buyer “You can’t bathe me,” but he didn’t listen, and as a result, the animals turned into bundles of straw again. The baker found the sorcerer, began to sort things out, grabbed him by the leg and... tore it off. And in order to avoid trial, he gave the victim a huge amount of money. Zhito took it, and the leg immediately grew to his body.
King Wenceslas actively used the services of a wizard. In Prague there is a house “At the Blue Pike”, where, according to legend, both of them visited the tavern. It was important for the ruler to know about the mood of his people, and Zhito helped him in this.
Zhito is not a fictional character. It is known that at the courts of the Czech king Wenceslas IV and the German elector Sigmund of Luxembourg there lived a juggler with that name. The owners valued him so much that they granted him the Przhimdu fortress. For what? For tricks, because Zhito could ridicule any person at court: he turned his hands into hooves, exchanged human legs for horse ones, and grew deer antlers on the heads of unwanted foreigners.
The medieval sorcerer performed his miracles on the eve of the Hussite unrest, which grew as a result of dissatisfaction with the royal reforms. And in the struggle for power, as we know, all means are good.
The legends about Zhito have proven to be very tenacious in the Czech Republic, but they are especially believed in in Prague.
The fate of the giant Golem
The clay giant Golem is the most famous character in Jewish mythology of the early 17th century. According to legend, he was blinded at night and revived with the help of magic by Yehuda Liva ben Bezalel (Rabbi Lev).
The Golem became the legendary protector of the Jewish people. He was a servant of the righteous rabbi: he exposed atrocities, promptly prevented unwanted events, and carried out various difficult assignments that were of particular importance to the Jewish community. Having completed the task, the clay idol turned to dust. But with the help of secret knowledge, he was revived to a new life every 33 years. Problems arose when he began to commit acts exceeding his authority. The monster's unpredictable behavior began to create serious problems, and its creator Rabbi Lev one day simply “turned off” the Golem.
Has the monster disappeared forever? No one knows about this for sure. Journalist Egon Erwin Kisch searched for his traces for a long time, but the search was unsuccessful.
In modern Prague there are excursions to mystical places, and in different parts of the historical part of the capital there are traces of the legendary creature. The stories about the Golem sound quite plausible, because in the city of magicians, sorcerers and chemists, nothing has happened since the Middle Ages.
The creator of the monster is buried in the Old Jewish Cemetery, and it is quite possible that the ashes of his clay brainchild are also nearby. According to one version, the remains of the monster can be found in the attic of the Old New Synagogue. According to another, the Golem was buried in the Zizkov area, on the gallows hill.
On Marian Square near the new town hall there is a statue of Yehuda ben Bezalel, and the familiar outline of the Golem can be seen much more often.
A figurine of a clay giant can be found in souvenir markets, on signs and even on paving stones. They make good money from this image; in particular, the Prague restaurant “U Golem” is very popular.
The image of a mysterious monster is widely used by writers, poets and filmmakers. In particular, the Golem was depicted in the works of Thomas Mann, Meyrink, Stanislav Lem, Borges, and Umberto Eco. This mystical character, which has become a kind of symbol of medieval Prague, is found in films directed by Quentin Tarantino, Julien Duvivier and others.
House of Faust - abode of scientists and charlatans
On Charles Square in Prague there is the famous House of Faust - the abode of alchemists, physicists, charlatans and spies who lived here in different periods. The building received such a loud name in their honor, although the warlock doctor, glorified by Goethe, had never been here.
At the end of the 16th century. The history of the house began with the alchemist Edward Kelly, who lived in the era of Emperor Rudolph II. He equipped a laboratory here for extracting gold from tin. The alchemist was a duelist, and a year later he was arrested for violating the imperial decree on duels, and was hidden in a fortress, where he died tragically.
The new owner of the building was Count Ferdinand Mladota. Using instruments that operated on the principles of electricity, optics and magnetism, he and his sons created outlandish mechanisms and thereby gained a reputation as an accomplice of the devil. The count's experiments often ended in fires; his scientific research thrilled the medieval public and created the ground for new legends. In memory of this owner, the House of Faust began to be called the Mladotov Palace.
The following residents also performed chemical and physical experiments, and some had eccentric, from the point of view of people of that time, oddities. A certain resident frightened passers-by with the eerie sounds that the mechanical figures he made made. Karl Jenig collected attributes of death, spent the night in a coffin, and hung funeral texts on the walls. The sons of Jan Krucinek, who was engaged in astrology, killed each other after finding treasure in the building...
According to legends, the House of Faust is connected to the town hall by an underground passage.
A mysterious hole in the roof of the building excites the imagination, through which, according to legend, the devil carried away the inhabitants of the house who had a deal with the devil. Subsequently, the building housed a shelter for the deaf and mute and a city public hospital. But the mysticism continued: the hole was walled up, and the next morning the masonry fell off. Once the hole was reliably cemented, but there was a war and a bomb fell on the roof of the house, which did not explode, but only punched a hole in the same place.
Today, the restored Baroque building is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Health and cannot be entered. But you can admire the House of Faust from the street, contemplating its mystical history.
Bank of the Czechoslovak Legion
The history of the creation of the Legionnaires' Bank in Prague is shrouded in mystery. It is known that a financial institution suddenly appeared on the financial market in the early 20s of the last century. The magnificent building in the Rondo-Cubist style was designed by the architect Josef Gočár and built in 1921-1923. However, it remains a mystery how the newly-minted bank so quickly became one of the institutions with decent capital.
Among the most common versions is the story that at the beginning of 1914, the gold of the Russian Empire ended up in the hands of Czech legionnaires, thanks to which the bank appeared. The legionnaires were publicly accused of this in 1925 in the Czech Parliament by a deputy from the German National Party. Of theft of royal gold Members of the Russian security guard were also accused.
The gold reserves (1,143 boxes and 1,678 bags) were transported in a medical train, in a carriage with mentally ill people. The investigation into the thefts was not completed; the surviving documents say that the Czechoslovak legionnaires handed over the entire contents of the cars to the Russian side, “the seals were checked,” and it was concluded that everything was “in order.”
The mystery of the mysterious disappearance of Russian gold is still unsolved. You can’t help but remember this when you see the original building of the Legionnaires’ Bank. The unique style of Czech Cubism delights some people and repulses others.
The facade of Legion Bank is painted in national colors - red and white. The two lower floors with columns and high reliefs are dedicated to the theme of Czech legionnaires.
The building has no flat windows; the design uses elements in the form of cylinders, circles and segments of different sizes. The huge operating room with a glass ceiling resembles a peacock's tail.
When this building appeared, adherents of traditional styles in architecture called the building “the chaos of time.” However, over time, the style of Czech Cubism was recognized as unique and unparalleled in the world.
And the story of the sudden appearance of Legion Bank remains one of the most mysterious.
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 one of the most mystical cities in Europe, and perhaps the whole world. G. Myripk, a writer and financier (according to rumors, 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 are like as if disinfected with some strong sterilizing acid - Prague controls its inhabitants like puppets: pulling their strings from the first to the last breath "... The magical essence of the city is best manifested in the low season, when autumn or spring fogs enter Prague from the Vltava - Moldau rivers return full rights of citizenship to the ghosts of different centuries and eras.
The modern capital of the Czech Republic was made up of four cities: Hradcany (which grew up around the royal fortress - Grad), the trade and university Old Town (Stare Mesto), founded for the German colonists by King Přemysl Otakar II quarter of Lesser Town and, finally, the New Town (New Town) built by Emperor Charles IV Place). Each of these cities had its own laws, rights and privileges. They merged into a single administrative system only in 1784. If we add here the ancient knightly Vysehrad and the Old Jewish Town, united with Prague only in 1850, then there are already six Prague cities.
The ancient Slavic city was founded in the 9th century by the princess-prophetess Libushe near the town of Melnik, where at the confluence of the Vltava and Laba waters the paths of Cech, Lech and Rus diverged.
The most ancient ghosts surround two Prague strongholds that acted as antitheses in history - the imperial residence of the Castle and the disgraced Vysehrad, with which, however, the first events of Czech history are connected. The wise and beautiful princess-prophetess Libuše, the founder of the Visegrad fortress on the 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. In fact, the romantic Libuše bathhouse on the southern side of the fortress is the ruins of a 15th-century watchtower: river ships brought food here and lifted it up through a hollow in the rock.
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 Borivoj (850-895), together with his wife Lyudmila, was converted to Christianity by the creator of the Slavic alphabet, Methodius. Borivoy had a son, Vorotislav. He himself was a good Christian, but his wife Dragomira, although she was baptized, followed pagan customs. After the death of Vorotislav, Dragomira became the ruler-regent under her young son Vyacheslav. 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.
Modern Cathedral of St. Vita (XIV century) includes an ancient chapel dedicated to the patron saint of the Czech lands, the holy passion-bearer Vyacheslav (Vaclav), the son of Vorotislav and Dragomira, who was killed in September 935. A door with a handle in the shape of a lion's head leads into the luxuriously decorated chapel - it was this that the martyr prince grabbed hold of as he fell under the mortal blows. From the chapel of St. Wenceslas has a passage to the treasury where the royal regalia is kept - they are shown to the public only on special occasions. The crown of St. is also kept in this storeroom. Vaclav. Legend claims that anyone who dares to try on the crown of the holy prince will die a terrible death. The last person to take the crown was the German protector of Bohemia and Moravia, Heydrich. Soon after this, his car was blown up by Czechoslovak saboteurs.
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 Chertovka. 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”.
But there is also a spirit of holiness on the 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).
We have not yet named many Prague ghosts here. A silver horseman appears on Vratislavova Street - King Přemysl Otakar II; on Celetnaya, near Carolinum University, you can meet the ghosts of a prostitute and a priest (once an angry servant of God killed a harlot here and suddenly died from a stroke); in the pub “U Ribar” (and they say that in many other pubs too), a late visitor is not immune from meeting the melancholy Master Palekh, who once betrayed Jan Hus to death. A large number of ghosts are associated with the medieval community of alchemists and with the Jewish diaspora.
It has been suggested that the abundance of ghosts in Prague is explained by some natural phenomenon, for example, the presence of radioactive rocks in the ground. But Prague itself, with its architectural landscape, remains the strongest factor influencing human consciousness. G. Meyrink, who never tired of being amazed by the city on the Vltava, admitted: “This fantastic Gothic with its sculptures, as if cast from dried blood! No matter how much I look at her, she never ceases to excite my soul.”
edited news Elfin - 1-11-2013, 07:06
Super tour and super guide. We took the tour with young children. Darwin was able to interest both adults and, most importantly, children. We learned a lot of new and interesting things. Darwina was dressed appropriately in a long robe, which added more mysticism to the excursion. Very good guide.
Darina, thank you for the interesting mystical excursion! My son and I are delighted! I had goosebumps throughout the whole excursion from Prague stories! But I remembered all the information; my son later called all the historical heroes by name at Madame Tussauds! If they taught history like this in school, everyone would know it perfectly: thumbs_up: I definitely recommend it!
Darina is a pleasant guide. The excursion “Mystical Prague” is very interesting and exciting. We selected it specifically for our 9 year old daughter. Both my daughter and I enjoyed visiting the secret places of Prague with Darina. According to previous reviews, they expected a terrible sensation, but it wasn’t scary, even for my daughter, it was very funny and interesting. Darina is a very wonderful storyteller, the special raincoat and gloves fit very well into the plot of the excursion. Darina instantly answered additional questions throughout the entire excursion; it is noticeable that she has a very good knowledge of the history of the Czech Republic. It’s a pity that the excursion was on the last day of our stay in Prague and we were not able to take advantage of Darina’s very interesting tips on visiting the sights.
We recommend it with pleasure, especially to families with children!
Darina, thank you for meeting our expectations
We are very glad that we went on the excursion. We had a 6 year old child with us. I really liked it. She was not frightened by stories about ghosts and restless souls. She was ready to “fight” them. The weather was a little let down and we were not dressed for the weather, but most importantly the child was dressed for the weather. A lot of interesting. There wasn't enough of a real ghost, but I think that if it weren't for the second child's scare about ghosts, we would have been lucky and would have encountered a ghost. The impressions of the excursion are very warm.
We went on an excursion with Darina. I liked everything: she is charming, friendly, presents the material well, has a sense of humor and has a great audience orientation. We felt very comfortable and interesting with her. If we come again and decide to choose an individual guide, we will look for her.
THANKS A LOT!
Many thanks to Daria for a magical mystical evening in Prague at night. So much new information. We discovered new places that you definitely need to visit.
I really enjoyed the excursion; I went with my 10-year-old son. In the morning we went to the sightseeing tour, in the evening we took this one. We took a fresh look at the Jewish Quarter and an interesting chemical laboratory. The only thing I would like is for it to have a tour in Russian.
We really enjoyed the excursion! The eldest daughter, 13 years old, said that now she will only go on such excursions. The very friendly guide Dasha told us many interesting details in a humorous manner. Very memorable in this presentation, I highly recommend it, especially in combination with the Alchemy Museum - a real alchemical laboratory found after the flood!
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]
