Secrets and mysteries of Prague. Legends of 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.
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.
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 to their homeland, they stopped for the night in the House at the Well, and the owner of the house, covetous of 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.
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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]
If this is not your first time in the capital of the Czech Republic and you are wondering where to buy an unusual tour, then we invite you to a night tour of mystical Prague. Those who are not afraid of ghosts and apparitions, love magic and are ready to go on a “scary” journey, will enjoy exciting walks through the old city with a professional guide. The cost of the excursion is from €15. The tour includes visits to places associated with legends of mysticism of the past and present.
Ghosts and secrets of old Prague
All Prague's central districts keep their magical legends and beliefs; any ancient building, street or square has something mysterious and mysterious to tell travelers. It is believed that every castle must have its own ghost, and on our excursions you can verify this.
- Small country. Near the house “At the Three Golden Crowns,” eyewitnesses often observe a chilling picture. At night, a carriage stops here, and a headless skeleton emerges from the house. At the same time, his bones glow with a red-hot flame. The skeleton gets into the carriage, which roars along the cobblestone alleys, disturbing the sleep of the Malostran residents. Rumor has it that there was once a cemetery under the house, but the mystical history of the ghost is unknown, so no one can help him rest in peace.
- Old place. On one of the squares there is a beautiful building “At the Golden Well” with stucco bas-reliefs. According to legend, gold glistened at the bottom of the well for centuries, which is why it got its name. The mansion has been standing since the Middle Ages; today it houses a hotel and restaurant. Local residents say that they have repeatedly seen ghost figures of a Spanish couple killed in this house on the walls at night.
- Josefov. In search of ghosts, you can go on a mystical excursion to the Jewish quarter of Prague, where the old cemetery is located. The former chaplain of St. Vitus Cathedral, near Prague Castle on the other side of the river, was buried here many years ago. The chaplain was born Jewish, but converted to Christianity, and at the end of his life he decided to return to his native faith in order to be buried in the national cemetery. However, his soul never found rest. Every night the chaplain crosses the Vltava in a boat, plays the organ in the cathedral, and then returns to his grave.
- Vysehrad This ancient Prague hill keeps many legends and traditions. Ghosts walk here in orderly rows and are found in many places. There are a couple of dozen varieties of the famous White Lady alone. They live near the Church of Saints Peter and Paul, at the Black Well and in the Visegrad cemetery. They say that these are the ghosts of the Czech princess Libuše. Near the rotunda of St. Martin you can see the spirit of a huge dog with a flaming chain around its neck. Also, ghostly carriages travel around Visegrad: black, gold and linen.
You will see these and other mysterious places in Prague on a ghost hunt. You can order a mystical tour online on the website. We provide discounts on excursions; upon registration there is a discount of -5%.
