Explore Prague as it was in 1713 on a theatrical plague tour. Join an 18th-century doctor and uncover the dark history of the Czech capital.
Tour Details
Good news: the Black Death is no longer airborne. Or, at least, that’s what we believe. Join us in Prague in 1713. The Black Death has returned, and most of the doctors have fled the city in terror. Everyone except the young Alexandr Schamsky, who, at 28 and fresh out of medical school, seems to have missed the news and decided to stay.
On this dramatized plague tour, we invite you to join Schamsky’s successor on a walk through Prague’s Old Town to discover what happened next. Together, we’ll discover how the plague actually spread, who were the first to flee the city, and how the strict quarantine was enforced at swordpoint.
Plus, along the way, we’ll let you try an authentic plague pill, pass by Prague’s oldest active hospital, and end at the Convent of St. Agnes. That’s where the first cases were reported.
What Will We See During The Tour?
We’ll meet in front of the entrance to the Aurus Hotel, near the House of the Golden Well, built in 1715 to celebrate the end of the plague.
- Golden Well House: Here you’ll meet the plague doctor from the class of 1710 and Prague’s most dedicated civil servant in 1713. We’ll learn about the plague saints, Sebastian and Roch, and discover why drinking three liters of garlic beer a day was considered a perfectly reasonable medical prescription.
- Klementinum: We’ll step into one of Prague’s most atmospheric courtyards. You’ll discover how quarantine actually worked and how armed night watchmen locked entire families inside their own homes.
- New Town Hall and Virgin Mary Square: We’ll examine the two types of plague: bubonic and pneumonic. We’ll take a close look at the famous beak-shaped mask and its air filtration system.
- Old Town Square: We’ll review the five fundamental causes of the plague, the accidental invention of French perfume, and give you a sample of lavender oil.
- Statue of Franz Kafka: You’ll understand why hygiene, fresh water, and the simple act of not throwing trash out the window turned out to be vital.
- St. Francis Hospital: We’ll visit the oldest continuously operating hospital in Central Europe, which has been in operation since the 16th century.
- St. Agnes Convent: We’ll reveal what ultimately became of the brave Alexandr Schamsky, give you some final survival tips, and say goodbye with a poem.
