Haunted Prague and Czech Legends
Prague Lifestyle > Prague Legends, Myths and Ghosts > Haunted Prague and Czech Legends
Prague, an ancient city with a history that dates back over one thousand years is the prime place to spot a ghost! With an array of twisting cobblestone streets and large street lamps the night falls quickly in this historic city complete with dancing shadows and the distinct feeling of the fantastic; surely any element of the surreal can take place! The Czech lands are full of magical stories about legends, myths and ghosts and Prague is literally full of tales of the night; whether they are tall tales is up to you. Is the city of Prague haunted? Only you can be the judge of that as you wander through its cobblestone mazelike streets!
Articles
The Golem of Prague
One of the city’s most popular legends is the story of the Golem of Prague. During the reign of Rudolf II, Rabbi Judah Loew created the golem to protect the Jewish quarter of the city and its citizens. At this time the majority of Prague Jewish people were being attacked and they went about their days in fear, until the Golem came, that is. Rabbi Judah Loew created the golem according to the Cabala, which specified that he be...
The Headless Templar
In the magical labyrinth of Old Town in the city of Prague there once was an elegant Templar Knight who rode a graceful and noble white horse. Nowadays this grand Knight is one of Prague’s best-loved ghosts even though the Templar knight just so happens to be headless! The Headless Templar can be found with his head in his hand riding along the cobblestone street on his trotting horse often challenging the non-faint of heart...
Libuše
The mythical founder of the city of Prague and the Czech people as a whole, Libuše belonged to the Přemyslid dynasty. Libuše founded Prague in the 8th century when she stood at the mighty fortress of Vysehrad from Libušín castle and envisioned the foundation of a mighty and magnificent city title Praha, which in the Czech language means ‘threshold’. Mythical Libuše was the youngest daughter of the Czech ruler Krok whose...
The Murdered Nun
If you so happen to be wandering about the environs of St. Agnes Convent in Josefov during the dark hours of a magical evening be sure to watch out for the Murdered Nun! She appears to be quite moody, one evening she might be covered in blood and weeping bitterly and other evenings one may find her smiling tenderly at unhappy lovers. The child of a wealthy nobleman, this child tragically fell in love outside of her class with a poor...
The Petřín Fire
Ask anyone where the loveliest place in Prague is and they will more than likely answer Petřín Hill. This lush garden and public park is the place to stroll with your loved one on sunny days or moonlit romantic evenings. But a warning should be extended to you if you so wish to wander about the hill at night. There once was a pagan grove on Petřín Hill surrouned...
The Drowned Maid
In the beautiful district of Old Town in the gorgeous city of Prague there sits a most lovely building titled the House at the Golden Well. This particular house, with one of Old Town’s most splendidly decorated facades was and still is surrounded by an air of mystery. A most colorful rumor once circulated the neighborhood pubs that in the courtyard of said house there was a well full of priceless treasures. One night Lubomíra,...
The One-Armed Thief
If you so happen to wander into the Church of St. James in the center of Prague’s Old Town, make sure to look up and to the right when you enter the holy church. You will find yourself staring at a petrified arm bone. The arm bone in question once belonged to the aptly named One Armed Thief, a man who purposely hid inside the church and waited until the verger locked the doors. After he was safely locked in he proceeded to steal...
The Ghost of the Miller's Daughter
There once was a very beautiful girl who was the daughter of Lesser Town’s richest Miller. She had everything she could possibly want except she was never really satisfied. What she wished for the most was to be accepted into higher society, something very difficult for a daughter of a Miller. She realized quite soon in her life that she would never receive a title or coat of arms through marriage as she was born into a poor...
Daliborka Tower
Located in the magnificent Prague Castle complex is the Daliborka Tower (part of the castle’s late Gothic fortifications), one of Prague’s most famous sites concerning myths and ghosts. Daliborka Tower was originally used as a prison until the end of the 18th century. Initially the prison was designed to hold only noble prisoners but towards the end it became a prison for commoners as well. The tower is named after its...
The Fish Eater of Stromovka Park
If you happen to be wandering about the tree filled Stromovka Park on moonlit nights you must beware of the Fish Eater of Stomovka Park! An extremely dangerous ghost this Fish Eater used to be in his living days the aide of General Windischgratz who bombarded the city of Prague in 1848. The Fish Eater in life was a mysterious man from an aristocratic Carpathian family and was also said to be related distantly to the one and only Count...
The Obese Merchant
If you so happen to be Lesser Town and spot a very large, round man, do not fret for it is only Prague’s friendly Obese Merchant ghost! In life the Merchant was an extremely gluttonous man who ate until his heart’s content even when his fellow countrymen were starving around him during difficult times. His appearance in life was very unattractive as he had the largest belly ever seen in the land of Bohemia,...
Karbourek the Water Sprite
Karbourek the Water Sprite is a friendly ghost part of local folklore; he is best described as affectionate, peace loving and kind hearted. He lives in the Čertovka stream, which in the English language translates to the Devil’s Stream, and can be found occasionally coming up from the shallow stream and begging passersby to bring him a mug of beer from the local pubs. In the olden days he used to visit the local pubs to drink...
The Ghost of the French Major
In the haunted fortress of Vysehrad, where the prophetess Libuse bathed with men before tossing them to their untimely deaths off the rock cliffs is one of Prague’s once most feared and bloodthirsty ghosts, the Ghost of the French Major. The major was the commander of the French troops...
The Fiery Turkey
If you happen to find yourself on romantic Kampa Island in the middle of a magical night in whimsical Prague close to a water mill, you may end up spotting the Fiery Turkey! The Fiery Turkey is an interesting ghost at that and is only available for ghost sighting and photo opts on Good Friday of each year. Beware, the Fiery Turkey is indeed on fire and hot to...
The Iron Man
In the Old Town district of Prague you will find a monument to the Iron Man. The Iron Man is a true ghost of Prague and one of the only ghosts in the world to have a monument built for him! The name of the Iron Man in question is Jáchym Berka, a man in ghost form that has been waiting for his freedom from his ghostly servitude for over four hundread years! The story goes a little something like this: Jáchym Berka was engaged to be...
The Begging Skeleton
Beware of the tall Begging Skeleton! One of Prague’s tallest and friendliest ghosts just so happens to be a staggeringly tall skeleton! He haunts the area surrounding the Karolinum after dusk. He is not dangerous and is not interested in sober people, only those who are intoxicated, those of which he will beg money from. The sad story goes something like this:...
The Mad Barber
If you just so happen to be walking down Karlova Street in the dark hours of night be sure to watch out for the Mad Barber, a mild mannered ghost seeking his freedom from his ghastly servitude to a creepy eternity of wandering the streets of Prague’s Old Town. The Mad Barber lived during the reign of Rudolph II and was by profession a successful barber and lived in a sort of middle class affluence. His profession however didn’t...
The Headless Lady
If you so happen to be unlucky enough to be wandering about the environs of the former convent of St. Mary Magdalene around the witching hour be sure to watch out for the Headless Lady! The Headless Lady was once a beautiful actress named Laura who performed at the Nostic Theater in Prague. She had many admirers, as she was very charming and very beautiful. Of course, her husband had a mean streak of jealousy. And so it was her beauty...
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