The failed attempt of the Swedish army to conquer Prague at the end of the Thirty Years’ War has been back in the news, as a Baroque-style Victory Column that was toppled by a mob in Old Town Square 1918 is now likely to be rebuilt on its original spot. The
Among the more curious supernatural apparitions in Prague are some stubborn goats Prague at night is a virtual menagerie of spectral animals. There are the mundane yet otherworldly dogs and cats, and the more exotic demon rabbit, flaming turkey and man-eating dancing bear, not to mention a werewolf and mermaid. Among the
The city’s gardens of stone offer a retreat from the overly touristed center Visitors to Prague can be quickly overwhelmed by how crowded the main tourist attractions are. But there are a few quiet and peaceful places, filled with interesting sculptures and centuries of history. Prague, which is over 1,000 years old,
The War of Succession left behind a spirit who refuses to accept defeat Not all soldiers leave after a war. Some are left in faraway graves, while others refuse to accept their demise and keep on fighting for some long-forgotten cause. A French major who was killed at Vyšehrad during the War
Malá Strana has two ghosts who suffered painful deaths that involved iron nails A pair of otherwise unrelated ghosts a few streets apart in Prague’s historical Malá Strana area have something in common: iron nails someplace on their heads. Both tales involve gruesome murders. The first tale is the sort of true
A Brazilian fan of the deck explains why it is his favorite to read People from all sorts of backgrounds become involved with Tarot, and also have different reasons for choosing the deck they use. For Leonardo Chioda, a Tarot card reader from Brazil, his interest goes back to his childhood. His
The mysterious spectres wander the same small group of streets The area around Prague Castle has quite a few frightening apparitions. Two of the most unsettling are at Jánský vršek, just down some steps from Nerudova Street. The tale may have been one story a long time ago, as some parts overlap,
Books by the 20th century occultist remain in print but the man is an enigma When people think of the occult in Prague, the time of Rudolf II comes to mind. But there were notable practitioners in the 20th century as well. One of the more famous names is Pierre de
Bones from 40,000 plague and war victims are in creative sculptures The ossuary at Sedlec is generally called the Bone Church, and for good reason. Bones from tens of thousands of people gathered over many centuries have been put into unique decorative designs. The full name is the Cemetery Church of
A wedding ended in a massacre, and the bride now haunts the D1 motorway The tale of an unhappy female ghost causing havoc for motorists on the highway is almost universal. There is one in the Czech Republic, but she is not the victim of a recent car crash like so
