As Halloween approaches, we thought it would be fun to highlight some of the spookier sights in Europe to get you in the ghoulish spirit! For example, you can take a train from London to Edinburgh and tour the underground vaults while listening to stories of horror, or visit one of many haunted castles in Europe.
This post will focus on a few scary spots that we think are worth visiting. Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia all contain cities that gave us goose bumps when we visited and learned some of their history and legends. The great thing is that you can get a European East Pass and travel by train in these countries.
We’ll begin our travels in Prague, one of the most haunted cities in Europe. Ghosts and spirits surround the city walls. It is said there are water goblins who take shelter under the Charles Bridge, a headless horseman, a larger than life ghost and even a clay Golem that went crazy in the middle of the Jewish quarter! Yes, if you’re looking for a spooky experience, take a closer look at the ghostly side of Prague.
The Charles Bridge is a very popular tourist site in Prague. During the Middle Ages, this bridge held the heads of ten lords who were executed. Their heads were stuck on poles and placed on the bridge. It is said that the ghosts of the lords haunt the Charles Bridge still today. If you hear depressed voices singing as you cross over the bridge around midnight, attribute it to being the spirits of the headless ghosts.
Under the bridge you may encounter the water goblin. This creature is credited with eating the souls of those who jump off the bridge and those that drown in the Vlatva River. As you take that romantic boat ride on the river, you can thank the water goblin for the eerie feeling you get as you pass under the bridge!
One of our favorite stories in this area is of the skeleton that wanders the street. Legend has it, that a very jealous wife got extremely upset with her husband one evening. She struck her husband’s skull with a nail, impaling it into his head, killing him instantly. Today, the skeleton of the husband roams the streets with a rusty nail in his head. As the story goes, the man will be freed if someone is brave enough to remove the nail from his head…there’s something to add to your “must-do” list while in Prague!
The Jewish area of Prague also contains some mystery. Franz Kafka, great writer, lived in this area. Gustav Meyrink, one of the scariest writers in Europe also resided in this area. There is one haunting tale from the Jewish section of Prague that stands out above the rest…the story of the Golem.
Rabbi Loew created the Golem out of clay. He was made to protect the Jewish people from harm and danger by nearby Christians. It is said that the Golem would complete all sorts of tasks for the Jewish people. When parchment with a holy name was put in his mouth, he would come to life, when the piece of parchment was removed, he would return to clay.
One day the Golem went crazy and caused all kinds of havoc, the Rabbi was finally able to get him under control and locked him away in the attic of the Old-New Synagogue. According to Meyrink’s story, The Golem, the Golem is said to wake up every hundred years in a door-less room in the Jewish area.
While we could go on and on telling tales of ghosts in Prague, let us move on to our next haunted city, Krakow.
As you make you way down a dimly lit street in Krakow, forget keeping an eye out for spirits and ghosts, if the atmosphere is just right, you will feel their presence.
Wawel Hill is considered to be the spiritual heart of Poland. This hill is where many kings were buried in vaults under the cathedral. Stories have been told of music coming from one of the vaults that contains just one coffin in it. It’s believed that all the dead kings of Poland come together for a conference in an underground chamber, in Wawel Hill, on Christmas Eve. If you’re looking to meet some kings (although they may not be living) December is a great time to visit Krakow!
Jester Stanczyk was the jester to Kind Sigismund the Old. Though passed on now, he can be seen on the battlements of the castle whenever Poland is in danger. You can hear the jingling sound of bells from his jester hat as he stands by.
One more ghostly encounter for Krakow, this one in All Saints Place. There is a spectacular mansion that stands proud nowadays as the City Council building and office of the Mayor. People have reported seeing the ghost of a woman all in black, wandering through the building and around the square.
The woman is said to be Miss Wielopolska. She was killed by her own father when he learned of her love for for someone below her class. The deathly punishment was cast on her for causing such embarrassment to the family.
Before Miss Wielopolska was killed, her father had a priest brought in to hear his daughter’s confession. Once she spoke her sins, an executioner came in and beheaded her. Afterwords, the priest and executioner were given a drink by the girl’s father. The priest poured his down his clerical collar and only pretended to drink it. Upon arrival back home, the priest noticed discoloration and blistered skin on his chest, the drink had been poisoned and he had escaped his own death.
Last stop, is a little village in Slovakia. Cachtice is a small village located in western Slovakia. It is in this village that Elizabeth Bathory lived. She took residence in a castle during the middle ages. It was during this time when she acquired the name “Blood Countess of Cachtice”. Today, if you visit Slovakia, you cannot miss visiting this amazing village.
So why was Elizabeth called the “Blood Countess of Cachtice” you ask? Here is the story…
According to legend, Elizabeth Bathory was a member of Hungarian royalty. She lived in Hrad Cachtice. As the story goes, Elizabeth Bathory, Anna Darvulia and two servants killed over 600 young women. The reason? So that Elizabeth could bathe in the blood of the victims to keep young.
That’s the legend side of it, in reality it was discovered that Elizabeth would get lonely and bored while her husband was away fighting the Turkish army. As a form of entertainment and amusement, she began to torture her servants.
This sick act became somewhat of an obsession for Elizabeth and the killings went on for 30 years. They stopped when Anna Darvulia died. The deaths of the young women would have gone unnoticed however, when Elizabeth became attracted to female noblility, her actions were reported to her son Paul. Count Thurzo and his men, along with her son Paul raided Hrad Cachtice and captured Elizabeth. Coincidentally, she had just killed a young woman for stealing a pear.
Captured and put on trial for murder, Elizabeth was deemed insane and locked in a tower of Hrad Cachtice until her natural death. Today, visitors who tour the castle ruins and surrounding areas will get an eerie feeling, a presence of the Blood Countess and her victims.
Europe is full of stories about ghosts, horror and folklore. You just need to find the right English-speaking resident to chat with. You can gain so much more perspective on the country when you have a little culture to cling to. Traveling by train is a great way to meet people and learn some of their heritage and folklore.
As you travel from country to country try to keep note of what you’ve learned so that you can write it all down and share it with family and friends either via blog or conversations when you return.
The supernatural and paranormal world is certainly not for everyone. Some take ghost stories at face value, others think they’re silly. The great thing about a trip to Europe is that no matter where you travel to, you will find something that sparks your interest and makes you happy!
Tags: blood countess, cachtice, charles bridge, Czech Republic, edinburgh, elizabeth bathory, european east pass, golem, halloween, haunted travel, jester stanczyk, kafka, krakow, london, meyrink, poland, Prague, slovakia, wawel hill
Hey , HAPPY HALOWEEN!!