Speculum Alchemiae In Prague – Visit A Secret Underground Laboratory
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Prague is full of spooky attractions, but none is as mystical as Speculum Alchemiae.
It’s a rare chance to step inside a 16th-century underground laboratory where alchemists performed occult experiments.
They used scientific equipment and research powered by magical energies to create their mysterious concoctions.
Ultimately, they hoped to find the Elixir of Youth, or the Philosopher’s Stone, which would grant immortality and cure any disease.
I had such an enchanting time discovering its dark secrets; you must add it to your obscure travel bucket list.
Here’s how to visit Speculum Alchemiae in Prague and what to expect.
An introduction to alchemy
Long before scientific investigations were proven irrefutable, alchemy existed. An ancient, philosophical and experimental practice.
It’s a common misconception that its only purpose was to transform base metals into gold.
They also sought a higher purpose, using magical energies to create elixirs of youth, healing tinctures and finding the key to immortality.
It began in Ancient Egypt under Queen Cleopatra. Eventually, it reached Bohemia when Emperor Rudolph II moved his court to Prague in 1583.
He heavily funded occult sciences, astronomy, and efforts to create the Philosopher’s Stone.
Famous English occultists, like John Dee, performed experiments in Prague with imperial support.
It wasn’t a flippant craze of unhinged wizards like the media would have you believe.
Many people revered alchemy as a sacred practice backed by centuries of tradition.
What is Speculum Alchemiae?
Speculum Alchemiae is a 16th-century underground alchemical laboratory in Prague.
It’s located beneath U Rabbiho Loewa, the city’s second-oldest surviving house.
Despite its long history, the lab was only rediscovered fairly recently, when the Vltava River flooded in 2002 and caused a collapse.
For years, it lay at rest in the city’s underbelly until it was excavated and brought back to life.
It was identified as being linked to Emperor Rudolph II as part of his occult obsession, with much of the old equipment still perfectly intact.
A secret society used its contents to experiment with alchemy and make discoveries with dark magic.
Legends say a series of tunnels from these caverns leads straight to Prague Castle and the King’s personal chambers.
Today, it’s an enchanting museum where you can take a guided tour of this mystical underworld and discover its secrets.
How to visit Speculum Alchemiae
You’ll find Speculum Alchemiae in Prague’s Jewish Quarter on Haštalská Road, a five-minute walk from Old Town Square.
It’s open from 10 am to 6 pm, and they host a 30-minute guided tour every 30 minutes throughout the day.
These cost 200 CZK for adults, but you must pay in cash only. So be sure to bring some crowns.
You cannot prebook online, so you’ll need to show up and be booked onto the next available tour.
They limit the number of visitors per group as the tunnels are narrow, so it’s best to go early to avoid disappointment.
Arriving at Speculum Alchemiae
As soon as you arrive at Speculum Alchemiae, you’ll enter their whimsical shop full of magical wares. This part is free to visit.
It feels like you’ve been transported back in time, with medieval wooden shelves, a painted ceiling, taxidermy and dried herbs.
After you’ve paid and booked onto your tour of the underground lab, you may have to wait a while until you’re called.
So, you can admire all the potion bottles, mystical items, books, trinkets and alchemical equipment on display.
You can also read old letters and memoirs about the search for the Elixir of Youth.
If you fancy buying any tinctures, you’ll find wax-sealed bottles with mysterious contents that you can take home for a small fee.
Guided tour of the underground laboratory
Once it’s time for your tour of the underground laboratory, you’ll be led to a grand study with a large bookshelf.
In front of the books, the guide will introduce you to the alchemist’s lair and its purpose under Rudolph II.
According to memoirs, he intended its discoveries to remain secret and out of prying eyes. So, the entrance was concealed.
As if by magic, the guide will open a secret door in the library bookshelves, revealing a tunnel that leads you underground!
What will you see during a visit?
As you descend into this occult underbelly, you’ll find a long tunnel that leads to different caverns.
Each one contains alchemical apparatus they used to conduct their unearthly experiments.
There are fireplaces for boiling potions, bottles in all shapes and sizes for distillates. They are littered with barrels, tools, quills and coins.
Along with rooms, you’ll find stone carvings on the walls, like a copy of a Roman tombstone of Longinus Sdapeze, dating to the 1st century AD.
If you’re curious about something, the guides are really friendly and are happy to answer any questions you may have along the way.
I can’t imagine how intense the smell and heat must have been down here when they conducted their investigations.
Legal Magick?
My mind went wild with images of what it must have been like down there.
Were these alchemists standing over flames, stirring cauldrons and chanting in tongues to create their potions?
I have to say, if you’ll humour me for a spell, it’s no secret that witch trials were common in Europe during this century.
It was an era of ‘Satanic Panic’ that spread like wildfire, and they burned women at the stake for far less than what was being practised here.
The fact that this ‘legal magick’ by a group of men was not only backed but funded by the royal purse does make you ponder the double standards.
Is Speculum Alchemiae worth visiting?
Yes, I think that Speculum Alchemiae is well worth visiting in Prague. It’s a great introduction to alchemy and a fascinating piece of history.
As a spooky girl obsessed with magic and the occult who often visits mystical attractions, I felt right at home.
The fact that these underground caverns were so perfectly preserved for centuries is mind-blowing.
We often see romanticised portrayals of alchemists’ laboratories in cartoons and films.
But this is a rare opportunity to visit a real alchemical lab. So, I’d grab the chance with both hands.
Be sure to visit Speculum Alchemiae when in Prague; it’s waiting for you to uncover its mysteries.
My top tips for visiting
- Bring cash with you to pay for your ticket, as they don’t accept card payments.
- Photography and videography are allowed on the tour; just don’t use flash.
- It does get quite popular, and spaces sell out. You may need to wait a while for the next available space.
- The caverns can feel quite claustrophobic. Also wear sensible shoes, as there are some steps to access them and uneven floors.
Looking for more magical things to do in Prague?
Prague is filled with magical attractions that you can visit after Speculum Alchemiae.
Start with the Astronomical Clock in Old Town Square, one of the world’s oldest working clocks, which tells four types of time, including ‘Star Time’.
There’s also the Museum of Alchemists and Magicians of Old Prague, which has a more interactive exhibition with a bar where you can try ‘potions’.
When you visit Prague Castle, don’t forget Golden Lane, also known as the Street of Alchemists.
If you loved the library aspect of this tour, you can visit many Prague libraries, such as the Klementinum Library and the Strahov Libraries.
Near Strahov Monastery, you must visit the Magical Cavern art gallery filled with all sorts of fantasy and surreal portraits.
You’ll also find plenty of medieval taverns around the city, but the best is U Krále Brabantského, where you can watch a live show.
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