The folk tradition about Faust living in Prague seems to have been well established by the late 18 th century, but at that time the house pointed out as the “Faust House” was a tumbledown dwelling in the centre of the Coal Market (nowadays known as Charles Square). But two other houses were also sometimes pointed out as being Faust’s. In fact, all three houses have long since been demolished. It seems to have been as recently as the 19 th century that the legend moved to the current “Faust House”, probably because of confusion with the very real historical fact of Edward Kelley having practiced there. This "Faust House", at the edge of Charles Square, is a particularly interesting building. Though it looks like a comparatively recent structure in fact this is the result of a complete refurbishment in 1769. The house is in reality far older. The first records of it date to the 12th century when it was called the "Slavošovský" House and like many large houses of this time fortified with a tower. In the 13th century it became "Opavský" House – named after the Opava prince Nicholas - illegimate child of Premysl Otakar the Second. Later, in the 16th century the House was owned from 1590 by the notorious alchemist Kelley. He, and a later owner Mladota of Solopysky carried out their chemical and alchemical experiments there. This seems to have been one reason for the origination of the belief that the house was connected to the tale of Doctor Faust:Johannes doctor Faust, lived for a certain time in the house alone. He performed a lot of magics and witchcraft, boiled mysterious powders in flasks and beakers, he knew how to read in the stars, was surrounded by the witchcraft literature and it is said that he was able to call the devil in order to serve him. For these services he subscribed his soul to the devil. The devil fulfilled all his wishes and commands but as soon as the term has expired he took his master to the hell and there remained only a black hole in the ceiling through which the famous magician has disappeared.

The new owners wanted to wall up the opening but nobody succeeded. In the evening the mason closed the hole by bricks and mortar but in the next morning the bricks were lying on the floor and the black opening stinked of fire and sulphur. During the night the ghost of Faust appeared in the halls and corridors and so no wonder that nobody stayed for a long time in this haunting house and new tenants quickly moved into another place.

 

Author unknown, Old Legends of Prague