Although we cannot quite step into Schikaneder’s paintings, we can at least visit some of the locations depicted in his works. The most famous of these, the courtyard of a tenement house where he set his iconic piece Murder in the House, no longer exists. Both the building at Josefov No. 255, where the tragic event took place, and Rabínská Street, where it stood, were lost to redevelopment. However, we do know this street ran past the Old-New Synagogue and the Jewish Town Hall, both well worth a visit. The intrigue surrounding Schikaneder’s image of the dead girl is intensified by its setting in the former Jewish ghetto, the very neighbourhood where Gustav Meyrink’s mysterious Golem roamed. Murder in the House | Source: www.sbirky.ngprague.cz If you leave the former Jewish Town and head down Maiselova Street into the Old Town, you will reach the house U Zelené žáby (At the Green Frog) after about 300 metres. This building also inspired one of Jakub Schikaneder’s paintings. Created around 1905, it portrays the imposing structure in a dark crimson dusk, with a few illuminated windows and a glowing gas lantern on the façade. The green frog over the entrance—the emblem that gave the house its name—is barely visible in the gathering darkness. The house is situated near Franz Kafka Square, where the birthplace of this icon of Prague-based German literature once stood. Although the original building has been demolished and replaced, the air is still charged with the same mysterious energy found in the works of both artists. Walking from U Zelené žáby through the Old Town Square and along the alley beside the Church of Our Lady before Týn, you’ll come upon Ungelt, a complex of historic customs houses. This ensemble of 18 buildings encloses the picturesque Týnský dvůr courtyard, one of Prague’s most beautiful locations. If you stop here at dusk, it might feel as though you’ve slipped into Schikaneder’s painting titled Ungelt. The only thing missing will be the horse-drawn cab illuminated by a carbide lamp at the entrance. Yet Jakub Schikaneder didn’t limit his inspiration to the hidden corners and streets of the Old Town. Equally enchanting is his painting Early Evening at Hradčany, which depicts a woman gazing down from a viewpoint below Prague Castle onto the Lesser Town. In this scene, the sun sets over St. Nicholas Church and the city bell tower, casting a soft pink glow across the sky. To experience this view for yourself, climb from Malostranské náměstí square up Nerudova Street, lined with charming house signs, or ascend the New Castle Steps from Thunovská Street. Early Evening at Hradčany | Source: www.sbirky.ngprague.cz Even if you opt for the convenience of a tram to reach Hradčany, the spirit of Schikaneder’s magical paintings will still be with you! Trams were among his favourite subjects, appearing in paintings like Tram in a Prague Street and Riverbank with Tram. In the latter, we see a solitary tram car travelling along today’s Smetana Embankment. You can board a historical tram yourself near the spot Schikaneder depicted: Vintage tram No. 42, often featuring carriages from the Austro-Hungarian era, runs past the National Theatre, across the Legion Bridge and past the Infant Jesus of Prague via Malostranské náměstí Square and Klárov, all the way to the stop at Prague Castle. Schikaneder’s depictions of boats are equally ethereal. You can experience the setting of Prague, a Steamboat on the River Vltava in front of Palacký Bridge at the precise location captured by the painter. Today, the boats moored here serve as floating bistros and restaurants. And if you’d like to take a ride evocative of Schikaneder’s spirit, a cruise along the Čertovka Canal on one of the Prague Venice boats might be just the thing. The dock can be found at the end of Platnéřská Street in the Old Town. Perhaps the most romantic quest of all, however, is seeking out those scenes of Schikaneder’s Prague that remain elusive. Which part of the city is depicted in A Street Corner in Prague, with its dimly lit lane and a house with open gates and a glowing gas lamp? And where might we find the building with an illegible house sign, faintly illuminated by an invisible gas lamp on the right, from his painting Evening Street? Could these be scenes from places lost during the redevelopment of Prague at the turn of the 20th century, or are they perhaps Schikaneder’s own inventions? What if some still exist? Set out on a walk through evening Prague and discover them for yourself—there’s magic awaiting those who seek.