Mystical places of Prague. Secrets of mystical Prague

Introduction

Prague has always been a magnet for strange creatures, mad scientists and alchemists. Want to know why this happens? Then join us on a tour and hear stories about the legendary Prague spirits and the local rulers' passion for the occult. Walk through the Prague alleys, where desperate souls rise from the dead every night and where you can still smell blood and tears...

Description

The Mystic Prague walking tour is suitable for most people. This is an exciting, fun and of course scary journey!

No other city in Europe has as many mystical legends as Prague. On the tour we will go through the stories and legends associated with the magical capital of old Europe.

Our guide will become your only source of light in the dark history of Prague. He will guide you through the winding nooks and dimly lit streets of the old city, which hide many mysteries and strange, but very fascinating tales. In addition, thanks to the guide, you will be able to decipher the secret symbolism contained in the architecture of shabby buildings and temples, learn their stories and legends.

Meeting with the guide and departure for the excursion "Mystical Prague"

At the appointed place (see information about the pick-up point below, also - this information will be indicated in the voucher) you will be met by a guide and invited to a walking tour of Prague.

Guide:

Russian-speaking guide throughout the tour

Special equipment:

We use a special transmitter that will allow you to hear the guide at a distance of up to 20 meters

What to take with you:

Passport, insurance (originals), comfortable shoes

Cancellation of an order:

You can cancel your order 48 hours in advance

Start of the excursion

Prague is one of the most mystical places in the World. Come with us in the footsteps of the spirits of history and legends associated with the magical capital of old Europe. On a mystical excursion we will leave the bright lights and plunge into the dark side of Prague. The only “light source” will be our guide, who will lead you through the winding nooks and dimly lit streets of the Old Town, hiding mysterious messages and ancient tales. On the excursion we will examine many ancient buildings and temples and try to decipher the secret symbolism contained in their architecture. Prague is known as the most haunted city in Europe. Ghosts inhabit many areas of the city - but you need to know where to look for them! Prague's dramatic 1,000-year history is filled with chilling tales, curses and restless spirits that have risen to haunt the city for eternity in search of solace.

Back in Prague, I had the idea to make a post from black and white photographs. The capital of the Czech Republic is known not only for its history and architecture, but also for its legends and mysticism. In many books and films, Prague is a city of vampires and werewolves, magicians and knights. And, walking along the streets of Prague in the evenings, I understood where the city got such a reputation. He really is fantastic in his gothic style. Here you can easily imagine vampires, gargoyles, and werewolves... And it seems to me that black and white photographs are best suited for telling stories about Prague legends.

Princess Libuše.The most ancient ghosts surround two Prague strongholds, which acted as antipodes 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. 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.

Witch Dragomila. 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, 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. 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.

Hellhounds are treasure keepers. Since the Middle Ages, records of the appearance of hellhounds have been kept in Prague. One was seen at the old town hall in Hradcany on Loretan Street, the other in Visegrad near the rotunda of St. Martin. “The ghost of a black dog with a red-hot chain around its neck runs at night near the rotunda of St. Martin, heads down and disappears at the corner of the bastion, at the walled Jerusalem Gate, which can be seen from the outside from Premysl Street.” According to legend, a dog with bloody eyes guards the Visegrad treasure. Where the ghost walks in circles, most likely, there is a secret entrance to the underground of the Visegrad Rock. Once upon a time, Princess Libushe allegedly hid a treasure in its depths, but she took the secret of this place with her to the grave. Many people searched unsuccessfully for the treasure. They say that once a year at night the Visegrad Rock moves apart and you can get there, however, only an honest person whose soul is not burdened with sins can take the treasure. He must enter the open rock and walk without looking back, no matter what happens. Apparently, such brave souls have not yet been found, since the dog is still carrying out the princess’s instructions - guarding her treasures.

White Lady on the Vysehrad Bell Tower. For a long time, on Visegrad, everyone prepared their own grave. Near the bell tower, which was demolished in 1903, the Visegrad furrier Yagodova prepared a grave for herself. She went to see it every day, and with her an old man and his son went to the next grave. On summer evenings they came at 9 o'clock and stayed there until nightfall. The cemetery was not closed, so they could leave whenever it was convenient for them. One summer evening, furrier Yagodova sat at her grave and talked with her old neighbor and his son until 11 o’clock struck.“It’s time to go home,” the old man reminded, and all three stood up. At that moment, the White Lady separated from the wall of the bell tower and went with them. She flew through the air after them, and they were beside themselves with horror. The white lady followed them through the cemetery, and near the garden the prosta left them, leaned against the wall of the garden, and a minute later she was returning to the cemetery. The frightened trio, as if on cue, looked around, probably out of fear, to see if the White Lady was following them, and saw how she drew three crosses behind them and nodded to them. None of them told how they got home, but within a year they all died.

House of Faust. One of the famous legends of Prague. According to some sources, four houses here claimed to be the home of the legendary alchemist doctor Johann Faust, who, in his thirst for superhuman knowledge and abilities, surrendered his soul to the devil. The most famous legend about the house on Charles Square. According to it, Faust worked in this house and from here the devil took him to hell. The doctor resisted but unsuccessfully. The devil, holding him in his claws, broke out with him, and not through the door, but right through the roof.The hole through which they flew out remains. They tried to close it several times, but each time the masonry crumbled by morning, and the hole appeared again. Later they abandoned attempts to close the hole, because the spirit of Doctor Faustus began to appear in the house, and even the bravest employer could not stand a single day in his house. Later, a hungry homeless student accidentally wandered into this house. He found Faust's laboratory and a shiny dish of black marble, and in it a silver taler, clean and shiny. The student took it and finally ate it. The next evening he returned to the house and found another thaler. The student got used to the house and even began to read Faust's notes, but greed overwhelmed him. He wanted gold and began to call upon the spirits. The end is obvious: in one terrible moment, the spirits took the poor student through the same hole through which they dragged Faust.

Vampire Lukash. In the 16th century, one old prince decided to take up alchemy in order to regain his former youth. He tried many recipes, but nothing helped him. One night, he went to Zizkov and overheard what the dead were talking about in their graves. The dead complained that they needed new blood, and if this blood was drunk from a cup made of clay, which could be found in a cemetery, then they would be alive again. The next day, old Prince Lukash collected clay from the old cemetery and ordered it to be made into a bowl. When the cup was ready, Prince Lukash killed the maid, filled the cup with her blood and drank it. For a while, it seemed to the prince that his youth was returning to him. A few days later, he killed another maid, and then her young son, and drank their blood. When a month passed, neighbors began to complain that people were disappearing. When the soldiers burst into Lukash’s house, they saw the old prince sitting on a pile of dead bodies and drinking blood. The soldiers killed Lukash, and they did not dare to bury his corpse in the cemetery, but threw it into a well that was in the basement of the house and walled it up, breaking a bowl of magic clay into many pieces. They say that since then, not far from Hradcan you can meet an old prince who asks passers-by for blood in order to regain his youth...

Skeleton beggar. He wanders around the area near Carolinum (part of the University of Prague) after sunset. He is not dangerous, and he is not interested in sober people. He will only beg for money from drunkards.The story of this ghost is sad: Carolinum used to house the Faculty of Medicine, where a very tall and handsome young man named Vincent worked.The old anatomy professor admired the young man's growth, and once told him that Vincent would become the crown of his collection of skeletons. The young man was poor, so he invited the professor to buy his skeleton while he was still alive. The professor happily agreed and gave Vincent a considerable amount of money.Unfortunately, the young man spent it all on drinking and gambling and was killed by his drunken drinking buddies during a bar brawl. Now the Skeleton wanders the streets and asks drunken passers-by for money to buy his freedom from the professor.

Iron Man.In the Old Town of Prague, you can stumble upon the Iron Man monument. Iron Man is almost the only ghost in the world to whom a monument was erected! The real name of the ghost is Joachim Berka, he has been waiting for freedom for more than four hundred years.His story is this: Joachim was engaged to his beloved and was about to get married, but he had to go to defend his country. Rumors spread that his beloved was unfaithful, so after returning from the war, Joachim married another girl living next door. He broke his ex-fiancee's heart and she drowned herself. The girl's father could not survive the shame and also committed suicide by jumping from a high tower.When Joachim Berka found out about this, his conscience began to torment him. On Good Friday he strangled his wife and hanged himself. Since he died a violent death, his ghost still wanders along Platnerska Street, waiting for freedom. However, it is not easy for a ghost to gain freedom, because he only gets the chance once every hundred years.

One-Armed Thief. If you wander into the Church of St. James in the center of the Old Town of Prague, be sure to look up and to the right at the entrance. You will see a human hand bone! According to legend, it belongs to a man called the One-Armed Thief.The thief hid inside the church and waited for the priest to leave and lock the door. Left alone, he began to fill his bag with jewelry, gold and sacred objects right in front of the statue of the Virgin Mary. And the statue grabbed his hand! In the morning the thief was found without a hand.

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Saint John of Nepomuk. The most popular legend of Charles Bridge is associated with one of the statues standing on it. Saint John of Nepomuk, the patron saint of secret lovers, once paid with his life for concealing the secret of the queen’s adultery and was thrown from the bridge into the Vltava on the orders of the angry king. After his death, John of Nepomuk was canonized, and now his statue stands on the bridge, caressed by millions of hands of people who believe that their love wish will be fulfilled, and the secret connection will not become obvious.

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And this is not all the mystical legends of Prague. I hope you enjoyed it. Now I can move on to the story about a walk around Prague, about the Prague Zoo, but I wanted to start with this post.

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

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 one of the most beautiful and visited cities in Europe. Numerous medieval buildings with peaked roofs and golden domes, preserved in their original appearance, keep many secrets, legends and predictions. Most of them are reflected in the Czech Chronicles, written in the 12th century, and some are passed on by word of mouth.

The Legend of Krok, Libuš, Přemysl and Prague

Of course, the most important legend of Prague is how this city appeared. The first Slavic settlements founded here date back to the 5th century. The Slavs developed lands and built cities. The ruler in these territories was Czech. This is where the history of the Czech people begins.

The Legend of Krok

In the 8th century, Prince Krok began to rule the Czech lands. Tradition says that in his youth he was a herdsman and lived not far from the future Visegrad. Krok drove the horses to the pasture and, while they were grazing, rested in the heat under an ancient branchy oak tree. One day, woodcutters came and wanted to cut down an ancient tree. Croc was sorry to part with his friend, who protected him from the sun's rays, and he begged the woodcutters not to touch the oak tree. The shepherd did not know that a beautiful fairy lived in the branches of this tree. When the woodcutters left, the fairy came out of her hiding place and began to thank the shepherd for his deed.

The beautiful maiden invited Kroc to choose what he needed most in life: fame, wealth or love. The smart shepherd thought and asked for wisdom. Krok decided that wisdom was a priority, and everything else would come on its own. Wisdom was granted, the shepherd left the village and settled alone under the same old oak tree, where he built himself a hut. The fairy endowed Croc with the ability to clairvoyance and prediction, and people in need of help were drawn to him. Gradually the whole Czech land learned about the hermit’s wisdom. When Czech died, the rulers came to ask Krok to take the reins of government of the Czech Republic into his wise hands. So a simple shepherd became a leader and received a princely title.

Princess Libuse - founder of Prague

When choosing a further place for his habitat, Krok chose a high rock on the right bank of the Vltava, where he founded the impregnable fortress of Vysehrad. Fairy tales of the peoples of the world are full of legends where the father-king has three sons, and the youngest of them is the smartest, most intelligent and quick-witted.

So Kroc had three heirs, but only female. All the daughters had some kind of skillful skill. The eldest took after her father and knew how to see through people, predict destinies, and heal people. The middle one had a strong connection with living nature: forests, rivers, mountains. The youngest, Libuše, had all the qualities combined. She was the smartest, wisest, perspicacious, saw the future, and knew how to influence people.

It was Libuše who replaced her father after his death and found herself a husband, an ordinary plowman, whom she made king and ruler of the state. The plowman's name was Przemysl. This is where the main royal family of the Czech Republic came from - the Přemyslids.

And it happened like this. One of the subjects rashly expressed the idea that a woman was unfit to rule the state and her lot was to do housework. Libuše spent the whole night after that praying to the gods to find her betrothed. At dawn, the princess handed the messengers her father's princely attributes and ordered them to go north.

A plowman named Přemysl worked in those parts, and he was prophesied to be Libuša’s husband by higher powers. Přemysl had the same gift of prophecy as Libuše. When the messengers came for him to take him with honors to Visegrad, he said with a sigh that he did not have time to finish his work on the arable land, and now crop failures would often occur in the Czech Republic.

The first mentions of Prague, the main city of the Czech Republic, are associated with Libuše. One day, on a beautiful summer evening, the princess and her husband were observing the outskirts of Vysehrad, standing on the walls of the fortress. And suddenly Libuše said that she had a vision: somewhere in the forest a man was building a threshold for his future home. The princess invited her husband to build a city in this place, make it the center of the Czech land and call it Prague, so that everyone would worship him, as they bow to the threshold of their own home (“prag” translated from Czech means “threshold”).

Przemysl and his subjects went to the indicated place and actually found a builder in the forest who was erecting a house. The first stone of the future city was laid near this place.

The princess turned out to be perspicacious. For many centuries, not only its inhabitants, but also millions of people who visit these beautiful places have bowed their heads before the majestic golden-domed Prague.

History and legends of Charles Bridge

Charles Bridge, the most famous in Prague, connects the right and left banks of the city. In ancient times, the population was transported from Mala Strana to the Old Town by boat. The bridge over the Vltava in this place was built when the need arose for the unimpeded passage of royal motorcades from Prague Castle through the Powder Tower to leave the city.

Today Charles Bridge is the most iconic and most popular tourist spot in Prague. People come here to confess their love and make wishes. Walking along the Charles Bridge is a must-do as part of sightseeing tours of Prague. At the end of the 20th century, the Dalai Lama himself walked across the bridge. A famous Buddhist said that this building is located in the center of the universe; there is a wonderful aura here that will always attract people here.

There are many legends about the Charles Bridge, the sculptures installed on it and the towers crowning the structure from the banks:

When the structure was being built, the rulers wanted to give it incredible strength and monumentality - imperial chariots were supposed to pass across the bridge. Someone suggested to the architect that it would be a good idea to add eggshells to the solution. They say that chicken eggs for construction mixtures were collected throughout the Czech Republic. Some farmers still did not understand why they were required to donate eggs. They helpfully sent them already cooked so that they would not spoil on the way. When the bridge was opened, the first to be allowed across the stone remodel was not a cat, as is customary in the Christian world, but... a black rooster, which was supposed to disperse the devilish forces with its presence.

In the 17th century, sculptures of people began to be installed on the bridge. In total, there are currently thirty sculptures here. Most of today's sculptures are exact copies of those created in ancient times. The originals are now kept in the National Museum of Prague, but this does not prevent visitors to the bridge from believing in the miracles that some of the figures provide. One of the most notable is the statue of the holy martyr John of Nepomuk. Each of the tourists visiting Charles Bridge considers it their duty to touch it and make a wish. In those places touched by the hands of travelers, the bronze is polished to a golden shine. And the story of his canonization is as follows. The Czech Queen confessed to John of Nepomuk. When the king suspected her of infidelity, he demanded to be told what his wife told him in her confessions. The Nepomuk refused and kept the secret of confession, for which he was thrown from the bridge into the waters of the Vltava. When the dead priest was pulled out of the water by fishermen, stars shone around his head. The Nepomuk man was canonized, and in the place of Charles Bridge from where he was thrown into the river, there is a memorial cross. Place your hand on the cross and make a wish - it will definitely come true.

On the Charles Bridge there is a figure of the young man Roland - a fighter for justice. The daredevil Roland killed the dragon and freed the king's daughter. The princess fell in love with the young hero and decided to throw in her lot with him. However, the knight refused, since his bride was waiting for him in Prague. The angry king ordered Roland to be thrown into prison, from which the young man escaped with the help of his magic sword.

Legend has it that this sword is walled up somewhere at the base of the bridge. When the city is in danger, he will emerge from captivity and lead the inhabitants into battle.

Myths about the Golem and Doctor Faustus

One of the symbols of Prague is the figure of the clay giant Golem. The Golem is an artificially created character who helped the Prague Jewish community in difficult times. The Golem's main task was to prevent life situations that could negatively affect the existence of the community. It is believed that the Golem was created by the Prague rabbi Betsatsel. The clay idol appears every 33 years and, having fulfilled its mission, crumbles to dust.

Near Charles Square there is an old house of pale pink color. Despite the cheerful and festive colors, its history is connected with the famous Doctor Faustus in the world of mysticism. It is said that from this house, today painted a frivolous shade of pink, the devil sent the famous warlock to hell. The hole made in the roof by the flying Faust existed for a long time - none of the workers could repair this hole, no matter how hard they tried.

After the doctor's death, ghosts began to appear here and mysterious things began to happen:

At one time, a strange priest lived in the building, who collected human bones, slept in a real coffin and painted the walls of the house with mourning quotes. He built a gallows inside, and when it was time to die, in his will he asked to be placed face down in the coffin.

A poor student who settled in this house suddenly became rich overnight. Sudden wealth turned the young head, and the student went into all serious troubles. His wild life led to his disappearance soon under mysterious circumstances. The house servant claims that the student flew into the hole made by the warlock.

At the beginning of the last century, a hospital was located in the house. When they began to do external repairs during the move, the scaffolding suddenly collapsed. The workers received injuries of varying severity. Rumor immediately connected the incident with the mystical past of this house.

During the mistaken bombing of Prague during World War II, Faust's house was hit by a bomb, which miraculously did not explode, but got stuck between the floors. The bomb was defused, the fire was extinguished, and history was recorded as unusual. Residents of Prague believed that the spirit of the doctor helped their home “stay afloat.”