The flaming skeleton of Prague

A photo of Malostranske Namesti - Prague, Czechia

The flaming skeleton of Prague

There are many ghost stories in any medieval city. The most spectacular ghost (if you see him) is Prague’s flaming skeleton riding a black coach.

Step off the tram in Malostranské náměstí as the clock marks 11:45 pm. The dark fingertips of the night crawl around the nooks and crannies of Malá Strana, Prague’s Lesser Town. The bustling crowds of tourists who invade during the day are hiding now. You can hear laughter in the distance as stragglers cross the famous Charles Bridge. The tram will groan away leaving you in the square under the sight of St Nicholas’ belfry.

A photo of Malostranske Namesti - Prague, Czechia
Malostranské náměstí – Prague, Czechia

Start your uphill walk, towards the castle along Nerudova street. Keep your eyes peeled for a flaming headless skeleton.

The legend of the flaming skeleton

I must have paced the cobblestones on this street hundreds of times by now.

Classical music enthusiasts know Mozart lived in this neighbourhood. Check out my guide to Mozart’s life in Prague for more.

If you’re not careful you may miss the entrance to Jansky Vrsek street on your left. (It’s not far from the Two Suns – if you see those, you’ve missed it.)

According to legend, every Friday at midnight a black coach drawn by black horses appears in this street. The rider is a headless skeleton completely surrounded by flames. After driving along this street for an hour, the coach and flaming occupant sink into the ground1.

A photo of Jansky Vrsek - Prague, Czechia
Jansky Vrsek – Prague, Czechia

Jansky Vrsek street is a short, dimly-lit street. I walked the length of the street in less than 5 minutes. It is odd that there is a legend about a skeleton that would spend an entire hour in such a short street. I figure the superstition of the witching hour is what influenced storytellers. But what if there is some truth behind it?

My research

The name of the street could be a clue – ‘Jansky Vrsek’.

‘Jan’ is the Czech version of John. They named the street after a Church dedicated to St John the Baptist2. It was close to the junction between Jansky Vrsek and the first winding street to the right. The church dates back to the 13th century. It had a graveyard which they used during a famine3.

I also discovered that the neighbourhood burnt down in the 14th century4. Is this why the skeleton is aflame? Does the skeleton “sink into” the graveyard that once was here?

A photo of Jansky Vrsek, where the old church stood - Prague, Czechia
Where the old church stood – Prague, Czechia

The church is no longer here, and people have built houses over the graveyard. Did the authorities move it to some other location? I can see how a story associated with a graveyard would have remained long after this disappeared.

Look around yourself. At this time of night it is quiet here. The sodium light coats the facades of buildings which saw so much yet reveal so little. The rational part of you will wonder how a coach navigates the stairs at the top of the street. The irrational part of you figures it’s time to go home.

Have you heard of ghost stories in your city? Leave a message below!

References

  1. Prague Ghost Stories, Nallion, Erin; Expats.cz, Prague Ghost Stories; 2013-10-01[↩]
  2. Zdeněk Dragoun: Former Church of St. John the Baptist in Oboř . Prague archaeological. 18.05.2017. Institute of Archaeology of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, vvi[↩]
  3. OMELKA, Martin, PhDr: 1996 – 2005, Jánský vrch. Archaeological Department of the SPO, created April 14, 2007 (Article in Czech) [↩]
  4. Sacred places, Volume II; EKERT, Frantisek; Prague: Heritage of St. Jana Nepomuckého, 1884[↩]
Remember: links were correct at time of publication.