13 Weird and Quirky Places in and Around Prague

Sedlec Ossuary is probably the most macabre Roman Catholic chapel you’ll ever visit. Europe has a good collection of ‘bone churches’ – places of worship made up of human skulls and skeletons – and this one in Czechia has an especially intricate design. 

The chapel of bones features skeletal remains from about 70,000 people, made into décor and furniture: a big and ghastly chandelier, skull candelabras and glass cabinets displaying hundreds of bones. You can reach the ossuary in an hour’s drive east from Prague.

The 13th-century Franciscan Kostel svatého Jakuba Většího (Basilica of St. James the Greater) is a baroque church in the heart of Prague’s Old Town. Past the impressive mosaics, beautifully gilded altar, and tomb of Count Vratislav of Mitrovice, play ‘I spy’ for a peculiar dangling object near the tomb entrance. 

This black and withered thing is the 4 centuries-old forearm of a thief who attempted to steal from the high altar, but somehow got his arm ‘seized’ by the statue of the Virgin Mary. The monks caught the stuck thief and cut his arm off.

Houska Castle, a historical gothic landmark north of Prague, may not look fairytale-like, but it’s a site of eerie legends. This 13th-century, rocky cliff fortress is believed to have been built over a large bottomless hole, a ‘gateway to hell’, to seal it. Dark, winged beasts and otherworldly creatures were said to have crawled out of it.  

Having served as a place where the Germans used to conduct inhumane experiments on prisoners of war during WWII simply makes way to crazier imaginations.

The Faust House in Prague’s Charles Square was named after the legendary German figure who’s known for black magic and having made a pact with the devil. The mansion had a long list of successive inhabitants, ranging from alchemists and eccentrics who’ve mostly contributed to the house’s reputation. 

To name a few, an astrologer lived there with his sons, only to have one kill another over a rumoured treasure hidden in the mansion. A mad scientist blew big holes in the ceilings during his chemistry experiments and even mechanically rigged the doors to open by themselves.

Deep within the lush and beautifully manicured gardens of Prague’s baroque Wallenstein Palace, you’ll come across a hidden grotesque feature known as the Dripstone Wall. It is believed that the grey wall was designed to mimic stalactites in a limestone cave. The result, however, made way to varying interpretations. 

The wall is set in such stark contrast to the green lawns and colourful flower gardens. Look long enough, and the reliefs start to look like deformed hands and faces, and sometimes even animals.

This quirky art gallery, deep within Prague’s Petrin Park, might be one of the most imaginative places you’ll ever visit. It isn’t for everyone, though – it can be a tad creepy. Free to enter, the gallery’s weird décor and vibe inside is accentuated by the peculiar hospitality of the artist-host himself, the eccentric Reon Argondian.  

Reon won’t hold back to passionately talk to you about astrology and his fantasy, dream-like paintings. Most of his unicorn art and dreamscapes are set in his dreamland called Argondia.

For a better grasp of Czechia’s medieval affiliation with alchemy, enter Speculum Alchemiae. Dubbed the ‘museum of alchemists and magicians of Old Prague’, this small museum features an old, underground lab, complete with dusty vials, pestles, scrolls and distillers.  

Tour guides (who speak English) show you around the museum, which happens to be one of the oldest houses in Prague. You’ll also get to hear mythological stories and learn about interesting legends. You can buy an elixir at its gift shop and bring a bit of the occult home.

The Municipal Library of Prague is home to the Idiom Installation, a mesmerising art installation that’s made entirely of books. It’s the work of Slovakian artist Matej Kren, who carefully stacked hundreds of books into a spiralling tower that reaches up to the library’s ceiling.  

Kren deliberately left a crag in one side of the towering installation for viewers to easily peek through. He also placed mirrors, resulting in a dizzying illusion of a never-ending spiral of books.

Prague’s Sex Machines Museum is not your regular arts and jewellery showcase. It features interesting exhibits that range from glass dildos in varying shapes and sizes to toys and devices that are testament to human ingenuity. 

There are modern static bikes with saddles bearing pleasure contraptions as well as furry teddy bears with phalluses.  

Some items on display come straight from the land of fetishism and BDSM, like leather suits, gas masks, straps, and locks and chains. 

The Old-New Synagogue is a well-preserved 13th-century synagogue and a monumental landmark in Prague’s Jewish Ghetto. You can usually take a seat to absorb the place’s historical atmosphere. Tall and enduring tales tell of the medieval building’s attic (not open to the public) keeping the body of the legendary Jewish mud monster known as golem. 

Legend says that to defend the ghetto from anti-Semitism, the late 16th-century rabbi of Prague, Judah Loew ben Bezalel, created golem by taking clay from the Vltava riverbank and bringing it to life through magic spells. Rather, the monster wreaked havoc through the village, and was deactivated and never to be brought to life again.

Prague’s Černé Divadlo (Black Light Theatre) uses black light and special lighting techniques to bring out the dramatic and illusory effect of its onstage performances. Against a pitch-black backdrop, projection and 3D mapping help bring floating and colourful figures, from classic tales like Cinderella, to life. 

The shows aren’t always classic retellings, though. They can range from cool breakdancing skeletons, ballets and other trippy dance routines to unusual magic shows. Tickets are from 590 Kč for adults and 390 Kč for kids under 12 years. 

The gothic Old Town Hall of Moravia is home to the Brno Dragon, a legendary creature that threatened the town’s citizens and livestock. Well, the ‘dragon’ looks more like a large, stuffed croc rather than any winged dragon of medieval folklore. It now hangs from the hall’s passage ceiling.  

The majestic town hall itself is a sight for sore eyes with its gothic architecture and Renaissance wall reliefs. It also boasts a gallery. You can climb the hall’s 63-metre-high tower for great views over the town.