Tag Archives: stair

Ukategorisert

The Burgträppe-Balzli Haunting: The Ghost of Nydegg Castle

Leave a comment
Advertisements

Where the Nydegg Church is today, there once used to be a castle. Tales about ghosts lingering around the old Nydegg Castle and the stairs leading up to it still roams. And one of the more infamous and feared ghosts of Bern is the Burgträppe-Balzli.

High above the bend of the Aare River in Bern, where ancient cobbled alleys twist through the heart of the Old City, lies the Nydegg, an old district with centuries-old bones and whispers of things best left in the past. 

Read More: Check out all ghost stories from Switzerland

Though today the area bustles with the charm of a medieval town center, one shadow remains darker than the rest: that of Burgträppe-Balzli, the ghostly scourge said to haunt the ruined stairway of the once-mighty Nydeggburg Castle.

Burgtreppe in Bern: Castle stairs from Mattenenge to Nydegghöfli. // Source

A Castle Lost, but Not Forgotten

Nydegg Castle stood at the eastern tip of Bern’s Zähringerstadt, the city’s oldest neighborhood, founded in 1191. Built as a stronghold to watch over the Aare River and secure Bern’s eastern flank.

Nydegg Castle: Built by Berchtold IV of Zähringen (second half of the 12th century). The extent of the town founded by Berchtold V is also disputed: either the first castle reached as far as Kreuzgasse in 1191 and was extended at the beginning of the 13th century by a second castle roughly where the choir of Nydegg Church is today. After the destruction of Nydegg Castle (1268?), the (Nydegg) Stalden was created.

By 1268, the Nydeggburg Castle had met a mysterious and decisive end, destroyed with little fanfare or record. The Bernese demolished the castle to make room for the Nydegg Quarter and to prevent any claims by other noble families after the Zähringen family was conquered. In a charter dated January 16, 1274, King Rudolf I of Habsburg forgave the city of Bern for the destruction of the castle. 

Read more: Duke Berchtold V of Zähringen Haunting the Old Town in Bern

In its place rose homes, workshops, and busy water-powered mills that soon filled the air with the grinding and creaking of early industry. Also the Nydegg Church was built on the site. 

The Gruesome Ghost of the Burgträppe

Locals call him Burgträppe-Balzli, and his tale has been whispered down generations and is perhaps one of the more well known ghosts from Bern. He is no ordinary phantom and is said to be strange, bitter, and even violent, Balzli seems to choose his victims carefully. According to legend, he doesn’t go after the women at all, but men walking up and down the stairs claim to have been beaten by some unseen force. 

Burgtreppe: Castle stairs at Nydegg Church // Source

But who is this ghost said to still linger in the stairs? Did he have connections to the castle that once stood there? Did something terrible happen on the stairs that he is now trying to get back at? 

Whatever the truth, his rage is eternal. On cold winter nights, passersby near the stairway report hearing echoing thumps like fists pounding stone and the sudden appearance of bruises on the bodies of those who dared tread too close.

Ghostly Builders in the Night

Balzli is not alone in his haunting the area around Nydegg and where the castle once was. Witnesses have reported hearing ghostly craftsmen from older times. They are heard hammering, dragging stone, and dismantling invisible walls. These apparitions appear on bitter winter nights, just when the fog off the Aare is thick.

Ruins of a Castle: Not much remains from the old castle. Landing gate of Nydegg Castle in Bern, around 1300. // Source.

According to legend, these ghosts are the restless spirits of the workers who tore down the castle in 1268, cursed to repeat their demolition for eternity. 

So, if you find yourself wandering the Nydegg at night, mind the stairway. Avoid the shadows clinging to the stones. And if you hear footsteps behind you on the stairs, don’t stop and don’t turn around.

Just keep walking

Newest Posts

  • The Ghost of Marshalsea Barracks: The Prison That Never Slept
    After falling to his death trying to escape the debtor’s prison, The Marshalsea Barracks in Dublin, it is said the ghost of Pat Doyle is haunting the remaining walls of the ruins.
  • The Linden Tree of Linn: A Living Monument to Death, Hope, and Haunting Whispers
    Planted to mark the mass grave of plague victims, the Linden Tree in the Aargau valley in Switzerland has become a famous landmark. In the night though, it is said that the ghosts buried underneath it crawls from the ground to haunt as a warning for any oncoming tragedies.
  • The Brazen Head: Dublin’s Oldest Pub and Its Restless Rebel
    A rebel and freedom fighter for Irish independence is said to haunt his favorite pub, The Brazen Head in Dublin, where it is said he plotted his fight against the English.
  • Black Cat Ghosts of Bern: A City Haunted by Feline Phantoms
    The black cat in European folklore is shrouded in mystery and magical lore. From the old parts of Bern, ghost stories of ghostly black cats linger in the shadows, reminding about the old fear the feline specter used to hold over people.
  • The Haunting of Münchenstein’s Rectory Marini House
    Right outside Basel in Switzerland, the haunted former Rectory in Münchenstein is said to be haunted by one of its former priests.
  • The Ghost Procession of Basel and the Dance of Death
    Mirroring the famous Dance Macabre mural that used to hang on the walls near the Predigerkirche in Basel, it is said that plague victims were buried in the patch of grass outside of the church. Legend has it that when the city needs it, the dead will rise from it in a macabre procession, as a warning of an oncoming disaster.
  • The Haunted Halls of the Bern City Hall (Rathaus)
    Where history whispers and shadows reign, the Rathaus in Bern is said to be haunted by a myriad of ghosts. Who are the ghosts lingering in the City Hall after dark?
  • The Restless Dead Buried Inside of Basel’s Double Cloister
    The two adjoining cloisters by Basel Cathedral are said to be haunted by a couple of spectres entombed within the building. In the darkness of Basel’s Double Cloister, it is said you can hear the moaning of a man slowly suffocating and feel the unsuspected slap from a man, as mean in death as he was in life.
  • The Portobello Bar: Spirits on the Canal
    A lock keeper from the adjacent lock next The Portobello Bar in Dublin is said to be haunting it. Ever since his mistake cost the lives of someone crossing, he is said to be lingering in the area.
  • Val Sinestra Hotel and the Ghost of Hermann Haunting the Lower Engadine
    In an old sanatorium in Switzerland the ghost of Hermann is said to have been haunting for ages. But who was he when he was alive, and what was his true name before he died in the remote fortress up in the mountains? And is he still haunting the old halls where he never made his recovery?
  • Glasnevin Cemetery and the Faithful Ghost Dog still Waiting for his Master
    After his master died at sea, the faithful dog was by his master’s grave, day in and day out. After dying of hunger and grief it is said that the Newfoundland dog is still seen, slipping between the graves at Glasnevin Cemetery in Dublin.
  • The Ghosts of the Sinful Nuns Haunting Bern
    Once, the city of Bern was filled with nuns working and living inside of the city walls. According to ghost stories though, some of them remained, even after the Reformation that closed their convents down. And those stories tell about them being guilty of terrible things with terrible ends.

References:

Burgenwelt – Nydegg – Schweiz

Burg Nydegg – Wikipedia 

Die Burg des Stadtgründers – Historisches Bern 

Geisterstadt Bern – SWI swissinfo.ch 

Diese Geister spuken durch die Gassen und Häuser der Stadt

Ukategorisert

The Haunting of the Frick Stairs: Bern’s Processions of Death and Ghosts of Murderesses

Leave a comment
Advertisements

There is not a single ghost story about the Frick Stairs in Bern, there is a plethora. Tales of women murdering their children and horrible funeral processions that left the spectators in shock is said to have walked up and down the steps for centuries. 

Between the Matte district and the cathedral heights, the old and wooden Frick Stairs in Bern appear to be nothing more than another steep passageway of stone steps, worn by centuries of footsteps. By day, they are ordinary, a shortcut for locals overlooking the Aare River coming down to the river from Münsterplatz. But when the city quiets and the cathedral clock strikes midnight, the stairs reveal their darker legacy. 

Read More: Check out all ghost stories from Switzerland

Where Munsterplatz turns into Herrengasse, at number 1, is the Fricktreppe, a covered wooden staircase, connecting the upper town with the Matte district. The staircase, with its 183 wooden steps, dates back to the 14th century. Ghostly processions, murdered children, and restless spirits are said to haunt this narrow stairway, where Bern’s sins of cruelty and bloodshed play out again and again.

Source

The Funeral Procession of the Mutilated

Perhaps the most told ghost stories from these particular stairs is about The Restless Spirit of Hans Franz Nägeli, so check out the legend about him and who he was in life. He is certainly not the only ghost said to linger on the steps however, although the others remain nameless and largely forgotten. . 

One of the most chilling stories tells of a laundress returning home at midnight after a shift of ironing. As she climbed the Frick Stairs, she was suddenly surrounded by a silent funeral procession. A policeman led the way, followed by six bearers carrying a black coffin. Behind them came four children with horribly mutilated heads, and then followed an endless line of what she described as twisted dwarves and cripples, limping and staggering forward in silence. 

The parade of the grotesque seemed to go on forever, filling the stairway with a suffocating terror. The laundress let out a scream and collapsed, later falling into a fever that consumed her for months. And although there are stories about strange funeral processions that have been seen around Bern, this certainly 

The Woman With the Severed Head

Another tale tells of a poor musician making his way down the stairs at midnight on his way to his lodgings. There, he encountered a young woman in peasant dress, but her head was gone. Instead, she carried it tucked beneath her arm, while bats whirled and screeched in the bloody space where her head should have been. Horrified, the musician fled to an inn in the Matte and told his story. A story that was according to these sources, a well known one for the locals. 

They told him that the woman was the ghost of an executed murderess who was convicted of infanticide, condemned to roam forever with the souls of her slain children, who took the form of bats. But as the story would have it, she was apparently not the only woman haunting the stairs because of murdering children. 

Source

The Woman in White Murdering her Child

On other nights, witnesses have reported seeing a pale, slender woman in white, drifting up the steps with a child by her hand. Both child and mother are said to wear dresses trailing behind them. Could this be the same woman said to wander the stairs with her head under her arms? The two stories have certainly the same reason for the haunting. 

The two move in silence, the hems of their long dresses brushing the stone. They vanish through a doorway in the old monastery wall, but just before disappearing, the woman stops. She turns to her child, gazes at it for a long, dreadful moment, and then twists the child’s head until it snaps. A scream echoes through the night, followed by silence. When horrified onlookers rush to the spot, nothing remains. 

Some claim the woman was the disgraced daughter of a nobleman, cursed to reenact her unspeakable crime for eternity. Could there be two separate ghosts accused of infacide? Or is it the root of the haunting based on the same horrible tragedy? Truth will perhaps never be known completely, and all we have to speculate on are stories and rumors. 

Newest Posts

  • The Ghost of Marshalsea Barracks: The Prison That Never Slept
    After falling to his death trying to escape the debtor’s prison, The Marshalsea Barracks in Dublin, it is said the ghost of Pat Doyle is haunting the remaining walls of the ruins.
  • The Linden Tree of Linn: A Living Monument to Death, Hope, and Haunting Whispers
    Planted to mark the mass grave of plague victims, the Linden Tree in the Aargau valley in Switzerland has become a famous landmark. In the night though, it is said that the ghosts buried underneath it crawls from the ground to haunt as a warning for any oncoming tragedies.
  • The Brazen Head: Dublin’s Oldest Pub and Its Restless Rebel
    A rebel and freedom fighter for Irish independence is said to haunt his favorite pub, The Brazen Head in Dublin, where it is said he plotted his fight against the English.
  • Black Cat Ghosts of Bern: A City Haunted by Feline Phantoms
    The black cat in European folklore is shrouded in mystery and magical lore. From the old parts of Bern, ghost stories of ghostly black cats linger in the shadows, reminding about the old fear the feline specter used to hold over people.
  • The Haunting of Münchenstein’s Rectory Marini House
    Right outside Basel in Switzerland, the haunted former Rectory in Münchenstein is said to be haunted by one of its former priests.
  • The Ghost Procession of Basel and the Dance of Death
    Mirroring the famous Dance Macabre mural that used to hang on the walls near the Predigerkirche in Basel, it is said that plague victims were buried in the patch of grass outside of the church. Legend has it that when the city needs it, the dead will rise from it in a macabre procession, as a warning of an oncoming disaster.
  • The Haunted Halls of the Bern City Hall (Rathaus)
    Where history whispers and shadows reign, the Rathaus in Bern is said to be haunted by a myriad of ghosts. Who are the ghosts lingering in the City Hall after dark?
  • The Restless Dead Buried Inside of Basel’s Double Cloister
    The two adjoining cloisters by Basel Cathedral are said to be haunted by a couple of spectres entombed within the building. In the darkness of Basel’s Double Cloister, it is said you can hear the moaning of a man slowly suffocating and feel the unsuspected slap from a man, as mean in death as he was in life.
  • The Portobello Bar: Spirits on the Canal
    A lock keeper from the adjacent lock next The Portobello Bar in Dublin is said to be haunting it. Ever since his mistake cost the lives of someone crossing, he is said to be lingering in the area.
  • Val Sinestra Hotel and the Ghost of Hermann Haunting the Lower Engadine
    In an old sanatorium in Switzerland the ghost of Hermann is said to have been haunting for ages. But who was he when he was alive, and what was his true name before he died in the remote fortress up in the mountains? And is he still haunting the old halls where he never made his recovery?
  • Glasnevin Cemetery and the Faithful Ghost Dog still Waiting for his Master
    After his master died at sea, the faithful dog was by his master’s grave, day in and day out. After dying of hunger and grief it is said that the Newfoundland dog is still seen, slipping between the graves at Glasnevin Cemetery in Dublin.
  • The Ghosts of the Sinful Nuns Haunting Bern
    Once, the city of Bern was filled with nuns working and living inside of the city walls. According to ghost stories though, some of them remained, even after the Reformation that closed their convents down. And those stories tell about them being guilty of terrible things with terrible ends.

References:

https://www.maerchenstiftung.ch/maerchendatenbank/11865/ein-schauerlicher-leichenzug

https://www.maerchenstiftung.ch/maerchendatenbank/11490/ein-leichenzug

P. Keckeis, M. Waibel, Legends of Switzerland. Bern, Zurich 1986.

Hedwig Correvon, Ghost Stories from Bern, Langnau 1919

Ukategorisert

The Restless Spirit of Hans Franz Nägeli: The Ghost of the Fricktreppe

4 Comments
Advertisements

An old staircase in Bern, Switzerland is said to hold an old legend. Hans Franz Nägeli, a former leader of the city is said to haunt the Fricktreppe in the Old Town, appearing to those calling out his name thrice. 

High above the winding banks of the Aare River, in the heart of Bern’s storied Old Town, stands the Fricktreppe, a picturesque, covered wooden staircase that leads from Münsterplatz down to the river’s edge. 

Read more: Check out all ghost stories from Switzerland

Hidden among the cobbled streets and steep medieval passageways, the Frick Staircase feels like a place suspended in time. And for some in Bern, the stairs are reportedly haunted by one of the city’s most infamous spirits: the ghost of former city leader, Hans Franz Nägeli.

Source

A Mayor, a Warrior, a Tormented Soul

Hans Franz Nägeli was born around 1497 and rose to great prominence as a military commander and politician. His most famous accomplishment was the 1536 conquest of Vaud, expanding Bernese territory deep into French-speaking lands. But despite his victories and public service, something seems to have followed him beyond the grave.

Hans Franz Nägeli: (c. 1497 – 9 January 1579) was a Swiss politician, military leader and diplomat who was a prominent force in Bern for four decades. He was the Schultheiß, or the chief magistrate, of Bern from 1540 to 1568.

When Nägeli died in 1579, his name was already legendary. Yet, in the centuries that followed, whispers began to spread that his spirit never found rest. Locals say that Nägeli, once a man of power and control, is now a restless presence wandering the Fricktreppe where his soul is said to still be bound to the city he ruled and fought for. 

The Haunted Fricktreppe

Where Munsterplatz turns into Herrengasse, at number 1, is the Fricktreppe, a covered wooden staircase, connecting the upper town with the Matte district. The staircase, with its 183 wooden steps, dates back to the 14th century.

Though the Fricktreppe is charming by day with its covered wooden roof, age-worn steps, and atmospheric views of the river below, it takes on an entirely different air at night. The creaking boards, the rustle of wind through ancient timbers, and the eerie silence of the Aare below all contribute to a deep sense of unease. Locals have reported feeling watched when passing through after dark, and a few even claim to have heard boots pacing steadily above them, echoing down through centuries.

As the legend goes, Nägeli’s ghost appears to those bold enough to summon him. According to an old urban legend passed through generations of Bernese youth, if you stand at the base of the Fricktreppe at precisely midnight and call out “Vater Nägeli” three times, the mayor’s spirit will descend the stairs from the top, cloaked in darkness.

A story tells of two women who were in great need once, desperate to try anything. As they had heard, they called out his name three times to ask for help. Suddenly, a wall opened, and a tall, bright figure stepped out of it. “What do you want?” asked a grumpy voice. Then one of the women summoned all her courage and told the man about their shared misfortune. “Just go home,” the voice replied. But as the women looked, they saw that the figure became darker and darker and finally disappeared completely.

When the women returned to their rooms, a bright light burned on the table. A pile of gold lay beside it, along with a large loaf of bread. And although the women took some of the gold every day, some of the pile still remained.

The Ghost of Hans Franz Nägeli

This ritual has become a rite of passage for daring locals. Young boys, in particular, are said to try their luck by shouting the ghost’s name after the witching hour. Some do it for fun, others to impress their friends—but few are prepared for what might actually happen.

Witnesses have claimed to see a tall, stern figure in 16th-century attire appear at the top of the stairs. Even more chilling are the tales of those who say they felt an invisible hand strike them—slapped by the ghostly mayor himself for mocking his name. It’s said that Nägeli will only tolerate respectful summoning; those who jeer or tease may find themselves with a bruised cheek or a shaken spirit.

The Treasure Underground

The city’s underground passages conceal a treasure; everyone knows that. But not everyone knows that Father Nägeli can give the key that leads to it. Near the Münzgraben, the passage leads deep, deep underground, and after feeling your way along its walls for a while, you notice a small, bluish light in the distance. You approach the light – and suddenly a larger-than-life, snarling dog blocks your way. If you know the password, it lets you through. And if you are allowed to continue on your way, you come to a gate through which a light-filled room sends a sea of rays out into the dark passage.

Source

Once you’ve become accustomed to the intense light, you’ll see three sacks on the floor of the crypt. From these, you must take a handful of earth and then leave the place immediately. Woe to those who cannot pause in silence or cannot bring themselves to look back once more. The earth turns to ash in their hands. But whoever leaves the corridor as he was commanded will hold bright gold in both hands at the exit.

Other Ghosts Haunting the Stairs and Street

The ghost of Hans Franz Nägeli is certainly not the only ghost said to haunt the area. From time to time, at midnight, an old man walks from the Frick stairs toward Junkerngasse. Some claim he walks on goat’s feet, others say he has no feet at all. On his way, however, he moans and complains loudly: “Put shoes on every dead man’s feet in the grave.”

Perhaps this story has a connection with the ghost of the butcher apprentice said to haunt Rathausgate after being cursed. 

Read the whole story: The Cursed Butcher Apprentice Haunting Rathausgasse in Bern  

Others claim to see a young woman wandering around. She died in childbirth, they say, and now has to search for her child again and again because no one had put shoes on her in the grave.

Newest Posts

  • The Ghost of Marshalsea Barracks: The Prison That Never Slept
    After falling to his death trying to escape the debtor’s prison, The Marshalsea Barracks in Dublin, it is said the ghost of Pat Doyle is haunting the remaining walls of the ruins.
  • The Linden Tree of Linn: A Living Monument to Death, Hope, and Haunting Whispers
    Planted to mark the mass grave of plague victims, the Linden Tree in the Aargau valley in Switzerland has become a famous landmark. In the night though, it is said that the ghosts buried underneath it crawls from the ground to haunt as a warning for any oncoming tragedies.
  • The Brazen Head: Dublin’s Oldest Pub and Its Restless Rebel
    A rebel and freedom fighter for Irish independence is said to haunt his favorite pub, The Brazen Head in Dublin, where it is said he plotted his fight against the English.
  • Black Cat Ghosts of Bern: A City Haunted by Feline Phantoms
    The black cat in European folklore is shrouded in mystery and magical lore. From the old parts of Bern, ghost stories of ghostly black cats linger in the shadows, reminding about the old fear the feline specter used to hold over people.
  • The Haunting of Münchenstein’s Rectory Marini House
    Right outside Basel in Switzerland, the haunted former Rectory in Münchenstein is said to be haunted by one of its former priests.
  • The Ghost Procession of Basel and the Dance of Death
    Mirroring the famous Dance Macabre mural that used to hang on the walls near the Predigerkirche in Basel, it is said that plague victims were buried in the patch of grass outside of the church. Legend has it that when the city needs it, the dead will rise from it in a macabre procession, as a warning of an oncoming disaster.
  • The Haunted Halls of the Bern City Hall (Rathaus)
    Where history whispers and shadows reign, the Rathaus in Bern is said to be haunted by a myriad of ghosts. Who are the ghosts lingering in the City Hall after dark?
  • The Restless Dead Buried Inside of Basel’s Double Cloister
    The two adjoining cloisters by Basel Cathedral are said to be haunted by a couple of spectres entombed within the building. In the darkness of Basel’s Double Cloister, it is said you can hear the moaning of a man slowly suffocating and feel the unsuspected slap from a man, as mean in death as he was in life.
  • The Portobello Bar: Spirits on the Canal
    A lock keeper from the adjacent lock next The Portobello Bar in Dublin is said to be haunting it. Ever since his mistake cost the lives of someone crossing, he is said to be lingering in the area.
  • Val Sinestra Hotel and the Ghost of Hermann Haunting the Lower Engadine
    In an old sanatorium in Switzerland the ghost of Hermann is said to have been haunting for ages. But who was he when he was alive, and what was his true name before he died in the remote fortress up in the mountains? And is he still haunting the old halls where he never made his recovery?
  • Glasnevin Cemetery and the Faithful Ghost Dog still Waiting for his Master
    After his master died at sea, the faithful dog was by his master’s grave, day in and day out. After dying of hunger and grief it is said that the Newfoundland dog is still seen, slipping between the graves at Glasnevin Cemetery in Dublin.
  • The Ghosts of the Sinful Nuns Haunting Bern
    Once, the city of Bern was filled with nuns working and living inside of the city walls. According to ghost stories though, some of them remained, even after the Reformation that closed their convents down. And those stories tell about them being guilty of terrible things with terrible ends.

References:

Geisterstadt Bern – SWI swissinfo.ch 

Diese Geister spuken durch die Gassen und Häuser der Stadt 

Greeley Daily Tribune from Greeley, Colorado – Newspapers.com™ 

Hans Franz Nägeli – Wikipedia

Die Fricktreppe – Historisches Bern

Von Vater Nägeli | Märchenstiftung

https://www.maerchenstiftung.ch/maerchendatenbank/11830/schuhe-ins-grab

https://www.maerchenstiftung.ch/maerchendatenbank/11883/der-unterirdische-schatz

Ukategorisert

The Eerie and Haunted History of Old City Hall in Toronto

Leave a comment
Advertisements

Said to be haunted by numerous ghosts, the Old City Hall in Toronto, Canada is now known as one of the creepiest buildings in the city. From strange entities targeting judges’ robes in the stairs to the last executed prisoners in the country, the spirits of the building are said to linger. 

The eerie history of Old City Hall in Toronto has many believe that it is the most haunted building in the city. This Romanesque building of justice was constructed in the late 1800s and has served as a city hall, courthouse, and even a movie set. It was originally home to Toronto’s city council from 1899 to 1966 and was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1984.

Read More: Check out all ghost stories from Canada

Designed by prominent architect E.J. Lennox, known as the builder of Toronto, the building was constructed between 1889 and 1899, replacing the original city hall that stood on the same site on the corner of Queen and Bay street. The building features a clock tower that stands over 300 feet tall, making it one of the tallest structures in Toronto at the time and was such for the next 18 years.

Source

The Haunted Prison Cellar

The Old City Hall is known for its dark and eerie past, and many people believe that the building is haunted. There are several ghostly tales associated with the building, including reports of apparitions, strange noises, and unexplained occurrences. It is also said that some security guards will not venture into certain areas or floors late at night.

Source

The first place said to be haunted is the building’s basement. The cellars acted at one time as a holding center for prisoners and still today the old cells are still there. Because of this, it is no wonder that people believe this place was also a place of haunting, although the prisoners who spent time here didn’t stay for long. 

But could it be that some of their ghosts stayed for eternity? According to legends about the Old City hall,  the moans of the incarcerated have been heard as well. 

The Northwest attic that was used to store the City’s first record archive, is also a spot where a presence is felt, but no one is quite sure what it is. People who have been in the attic claim they are often suddenly overcome with a peculiar “feeling” that no one has ever managed to solve the mystery of. .

The Haunted Staircase and the Tugging Poltergeist

The rear staircase is one of the haunted locations within the building and has a lot of documentation and anecdotes. According to both visitors as well as working judges, the staircase is haunted by a poltergeist-like spirit that seems to enjoy tugging at judges’ robes. In addition to targeting judges specifically, visitors have been frightened by the sounds of footsteps walking up and down the stairs in the darkness of night when no one is supposed to be there. 

The haunting was first reported by Judge S. Tupper Bigelow (3 August 1901–13 June 1993), who said he would hear footsteps behind him and feel something pulling at his judicial robe. Perhaps it is also worth noting that this judge was one of the world’s leading authorities on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, author of the Sherlock Holmes mystery novels, and loved a good story and strange occurrence. 

The same experience of the tugging ghost was however also said to have happened to Judge Pete Wilch.

Source

The Condemned Prisoners in Courtroom 33

Although there are several rooms within the building said to be haunted, none more than one of the old courtrooms where some of the prisoners learned their fatal fate. Courtroom 33 is said to be haunted by the spirits of the last men condemned to hang in Canada in 1962. 

Before 1961, murder carried a mandatory death sentence in Canada. In July 1961, the Canadian government adopted a law establishing two degrees of murder: capital murder and non-capital murder. Capital murder carried a death sentence, while non-capital murder carried a life sentence with parole eligibility after 10 years. 

Ronald Arthur Turpin was convicted of killing an officer and was charged with capital murder since the victim was a police officer. The Toronto Star reports Turpin to have said in his final hours “If our dying means capital punishment in this country will be abolished for good, we will not have died in vain.”

Arthur Lucas was the other prisoner executed alongside Turpin. He was convicted for killing an undercover narcotics agent, Therland Crater from Detroit in a Toronto hotel. He is also assumed to have killed 20-year-old Carolyn Ann Newman, Crater’s common-law wife, but was never tried in her death. Lucas was charged with capital murder since the crime was premeditated.

They were tried for separate crimes but had the same lawyer, Ross MacKay, who believed both men to be innocent or acted in self defense. Lucas maintained that he was framed for the murders of Crater and Newman, but also that “he’d done many other terrible things in his so-called career that it was just catching up with him.” 

They were both hanged at the Don Jail. The ghosts of Turpin and Lucas are also rumored to haunt the Old Don Jail, known for its inhumane living conditions and where they served time before their executions. 

Source

Haunted Nights in the Old City Halls of Toronto

On Halloween it has become a tradition for journalists to stay in courtroom 33 to see if they can experience any paranormal activity that is said to exist in the courtroom. In John Robert Colombo’s book Haunted Toronto, he tells of a pair of reporters that almost managed to spend the night but gave in by 4am. But then the reporters experienced what they described as “cool fogs” and weird noises that left them, at times, glued to the floor and they decided to pack up and leave.

Source

Old City Hall is a fascinating and eerie landmark in Toronto’s history. From its stunning architecture to its dark past and ghostly tales, the building has captured the imaginations of visitors and locals alike. In April 2025, the government moved out from the building and it will no longer serve as a courthouse. 

Newest Posts

  • The Ghost of Marshalsea Barracks: The Prison That Never Slept
    After falling to his death trying to escape the debtor’s prison, The Marshalsea Barracks in Dublin, it is said the ghost of Pat Doyle is haunting the remaining walls of the ruins.
  • The Linden Tree of Linn: A Living Monument to Death, Hope, and Haunting Whispers
    Planted to mark the mass grave of plague victims, the Linden Tree in the Aargau valley in Switzerland has become a famous landmark. In the night though, it is said that the ghosts buried underneath it crawls from the ground to haunt as a warning for any oncoming tragedies.
  • The Brazen Head: Dublin’s Oldest Pub and Its Restless Rebel
    A rebel and freedom fighter for Irish independence is said to haunt his favorite pub, The Brazen Head in Dublin, where it is said he plotted his fight against the English.
  • Black Cat Ghosts of Bern: A City Haunted by Feline Phantoms
    The black cat in European folklore is shrouded in mystery and magical lore. From the old parts of Bern, ghost stories of ghostly black cats linger in the shadows, reminding about the old fear the feline specter used to hold over people.
  • The Haunting of Münchenstein’s Rectory Marini House
    Right outside Basel in Switzerland, the haunted former Rectory in Münchenstein is said to be haunted by one of its former priests.
  • The Ghost Procession of Basel and the Dance of Death
    Mirroring the famous Dance Macabre mural that used to hang on the walls near the Predigerkirche in Basel, it is said that plague victims were buried in the patch of grass outside of the church. Legend has it that when the city needs it, the dead will rise from it in a macabre procession, as a warning of an oncoming disaster.
  • The Haunted Halls of the Bern City Hall (Rathaus)
    Where history whispers and shadows reign, the Rathaus in Bern is said to be haunted by a myriad of ghosts. Who are the ghosts lingering in the City Hall after dark?
  • The Restless Dead Buried Inside of Basel’s Double Cloister
    The two adjoining cloisters by Basel Cathedral are said to be haunted by a couple of spectres entombed within the building. In the darkness of Basel’s Double Cloister, it is said you can hear the moaning of a man slowly suffocating and feel the unsuspected slap from a man, as mean in death as he was in life.
  • The Portobello Bar: Spirits on the Canal
    A lock keeper from the adjacent lock next The Portobello Bar in Dublin is said to be haunting it. Ever since his mistake cost the lives of someone crossing, he is said to be lingering in the area.
  • Val Sinestra Hotel and the Ghost of Hermann Haunting the Lower Engadine
    In an old sanatorium in Switzerland the ghost of Hermann is said to have been haunting for ages. But who was he when he was alive, and what was his true name before he died in the remote fortress up in the mountains? And is he still haunting the old halls where he never made his recovery?
  • Glasnevin Cemetery and the Faithful Ghost Dog still Waiting for his Master
    After his master died at sea, the faithful dog was by his master’s grave, day in and day out. After dying of hunger and grief it is said that the Newfoundland dog is still seen, slipping between the graves at Glasnevin Cemetery in Dublin.
  • The Ghosts of the Sinful Nuns Haunting Bern
    Once, the city of Bern was filled with nuns working and living inside of the city walls. According to ghost stories though, some of them remained, even after the Reformation that closed their convents down. And those stories tell about them being guilty of terrible things with terrible ends.

References:

Old City Hall

Ronald Turpin – Wikipedia 

Arthur Lucas – Wikipedia 

Ukategorisert

The Ghosts Haunting the Mattentreppe, Ringing the New Year In

2 Comments
Advertisements

The old stairs around the old town in Bern are most definitely haunted. Ascending from the Cathedral on Münsterplattform towards the Aare River, ghosts of the past are said to be the ones behind the creaks on the stairs. 

The Mattentreppe may appear as a simple stone stairway leading from the dignified heights of Bern’s center to the working-class roots of the Matte district, known in centuries past for its bathhouses, its brothels, and even a visit from Casanova himself. This steep flight of steps, carved into the hillside and shadowed by the cathedral’s towering silhouette, is more than a picturesque shortcut. It is one of the city’s most haunted places, a corridor of shame, sorrow, and long-held secrets.

Read More: Check out all ghost stories from Switzerland

As the bells of the Bern Minster chime twelve on New Year’s Eve, and fireworks erupt over the Aare, there are those who claim they see more than celebration unfolding in the ancient quarter. Ghosts rise with the fog. Footsteps echo with no source. 

The Nobleman and the Cripple haunting the Mattetreppe

The Mattentreppe is not only said to have been haunted by the ghosts appearing on New Years. It is also said to be haunted by the ghost of a nobleman from the olden times. He fell in love, or at least had an affair with a maid. When she became pregnant with his child, scandal loomed. The nobleman, unable to bear the disgrace and unwilling to face the consequences of his actions, hurled himself down the Mattentreppe in despair.

To this day, people have reported seeing the pale figure of a well-dressed man, pacing or rushing down the stairs, as if in torment. His cloak flutters even on windless nights.

Source

In earlier years, a terribly crippled man was often seen on the matted steps where they had a landing. Hunched and crippled, he was sitting with two heavy baskets balancing impossibly from each finger. Passersby, moved by his suffering, would offer help. But whenever someone reached for a basket, the man would vanish in a puff of smoke, leaving only a mocking “Hahahaha!” echoing off the stone walls.

New Years Haunting of the Stairs

The eeriest of all tales tied to the Mattentreppe comes with the tolling of the New Year’s bell. When the bells in the cathedral begin to ring at the turn of the year, a poor soul rises from her grave: a young woman in a long, flowing gown, her face shaded beneath a wide-brimmed hat tied neatly with ribbons. 

During the 20th century, the terrace by the Cathedral was changed from a graveyard to an open plaza by the Münsterplattform. We don’t know when she was buried as the location was built as a churchyard in 1334 and 1919 as this is when the ghost story was first published in print. 

Source

She ascends the stairs going from the cathedral down towards the river. She is aiming at one of the houses in the Schifflaube street between the cathedral and the Aare Riverbanks, where she lived and is now haunting. The Schifflaube/Schiffländte was a place for reloading the boats that were going up and down the river. It’s an old street with old buildings, although which number or if it’s still there is uncertain. 

On the attic floor, she stands thoughtfully in the same spot, always silent. And when the last toll of the bell has faded away, she departs again, as silently as she came. She carefully closes the doors behind her. Without looking back, she walks past the houses, up the path toward the gardens, only to suddenly vanish like a mist.

In the place she keeps returning to, she once murdered her child, secretly, without anyone ever finding out.

Newest Posts

  • The Ghost of Marshalsea Barracks: The Prison That Never Slept
    After falling to his death trying to escape the debtor’s prison, The Marshalsea Barracks in Dublin, it is said the ghost of Pat Doyle is haunting the remaining walls of the ruins.
  • The Linden Tree of Linn: A Living Monument to Death, Hope, and Haunting Whispers
    Planted to mark the mass grave of plague victims, the Linden Tree in the Aargau valley in Switzerland has become a famous landmark. In the night though, it is said that the ghosts buried underneath it crawls from the ground to haunt as a warning for any oncoming tragedies.
  • The Brazen Head: Dublin’s Oldest Pub and Its Restless Rebel
    A rebel and freedom fighter for Irish independence is said to haunt his favorite pub, The Brazen Head in Dublin, where it is said he plotted his fight against the English.
  • Black Cat Ghosts of Bern: A City Haunted by Feline Phantoms
    The black cat in European folklore is shrouded in mystery and magical lore. From the old parts of Bern, ghost stories of ghostly black cats linger in the shadows, reminding about the old fear the feline specter used to hold over people.
  • The Haunting of Münchenstein’s Rectory Marini House
    Right outside Basel in Switzerland, the haunted former Rectory in Münchenstein is said to be haunted by one of its former priests.
  • The Ghost Procession of Basel and the Dance of Death
    Mirroring the famous Dance Macabre mural that used to hang on the walls near the Predigerkirche in Basel, it is said that plague victims were buried in the patch of grass outside of the church. Legend has it that when the city needs it, the dead will rise from it in a macabre procession, as a warning of an oncoming disaster.
  • The Haunted Halls of the Bern City Hall (Rathaus)
    Where history whispers and shadows reign, the Rathaus in Bern is said to be haunted by a myriad of ghosts. Who are the ghosts lingering in the City Hall after dark?
  • The Restless Dead Buried Inside of Basel’s Double Cloister
    The two adjoining cloisters by Basel Cathedral are said to be haunted by a couple of spectres entombed within the building. In the darkness of Basel’s Double Cloister, it is said you can hear the moaning of a man slowly suffocating and feel the unsuspected slap from a man, as mean in death as he was in life.
  • The Portobello Bar: Spirits on the Canal
    A lock keeper from the adjacent lock next The Portobello Bar in Dublin is said to be haunting it. Ever since his mistake cost the lives of someone crossing, he is said to be lingering in the area.
  • Val Sinestra Hotel and the Ghost of Hermann Haunting the Lower Engadine
    In an old sanatorium in Switzerland the ghost of Hermann is said to have been haunting for ages. But who was he when he was alive, and what was his true name before he died in the remote fortress up in the mountains? And is he still haunting the old halls where he never made his recovery?
  • Glasnevin Cemetery and the Faithful Ghost Dog still Waiting for his Master
    After his master died at sea, the faithful dog was by his master’s grave, day in and day out. After dying of hunger and grief it is said that the Newfoundland dog is still seen, slipping between the graves at Glasnevin Cemetery in Dublin.
  • The Ghosts of the Sinful Nuns Haunting Bern
    Once, the city of Bern was filled with nuns working and living inside of the city walls. According to ghost stories though, some of them remained, even after the Reformation that closed their convents down. And those stories tell about them being guilty of terrible things with terrible ends.

References:

Märchenstiftung – Die Unglückliche Mutter (The Unhappy Mother)

Märchenstiftung – Auf der Mattentreppe (On the Mattentreppe)

Wikipedia – Mattequartier

Berner Zeitung – Die Gruseltreppen von Bern (The Haunted Stairs of Bern)

Ukategorisert

The Tulip Staircase Ghost: A Haunting at the Queen’s House in Greenwich

1 Comment
Advertisements

After some tourists took a picture when visiting the Queen’s House in Greenwich, they came back with a strange image now known as The Tulip Staircase Ghost. Even today, people still debate if the ghost in the image was real or not.

If there’s one thing the British serve exceptionally well besides tea, is haunted history. And the Queen’s House in Greenwich? Oh, it serves up ghostly chills with photographic evidence. This stunning piece of 17th-century architecture might be a vision of classical elegance, but beneath its beauty lies a paranormal playground. 

There were already ghostly legends circling around the old house before the picture was taken with children laughing in the hallways, a ghostly maid mopping up blood. At the heart of its spectral reputation is one particularly famous spirit: the Tulip Staircase Ghost.

Queen’s House in Greenwich: Royal Naval College North East Building Queen Anne’s Quarter. The mansion became popular for the paranormal community after a picture allegedly showing a ghost by the stairs. // Source: Tony Hisgett/Flickr

A House Fit for a Queen… and Her Ghosts

The Queen’s House was commissioned in 1616 by Anne of Denmark, wife of King James I as an apology from him after swearing at her in public. It is worth noting though, she did just shoot his dog, although it was an accident. Designed by the revolutionary architect Inigo Jones, it was England’s first consciously classical building—a stark contrast to the Gothic styles that came before. 

The home has been inhabited by many female royals over the centuries. However, Anne never got to enjoy her royal retreat, as she died in 1619 before its completion. The house was eventually finished in 1635 under Queen Henrietta Maria (wife of Charles I), but from the get-go, it seems this regal residence was destined to be haunted.

Ghosts Haunting the House: There is said to be more than one ghost haunting the place. A lot of the paranormal activity is said to be around the grand tulip stairs. // Source: Elliott Brown/Flickr

Over the centuries, the Queen’s House has been home to royalty, naval officers, and later, the National Maritime Museum. With so many lives passing through its halls, it’s no wonder that whispers of eerie encounters began to surface. Strange voices, phantom footsteps, and inexplicable shadows have all been reported within its grand walls. But none of these compares to the chilling mystery of the Tulip Staircase.

The Ghost Caught on Camera

Let’s rewind to 1966—when the famed image of The Tulip Staircase Ghost was taken at the stairs. A retired Canadian reverend, R.W. Hardy, and his wife were visiting the Queen’s House on a casual tourist outing. Around 5.00pm Rev Hardy was taking photographs of the interior of the building. He was using a Zeiss Ikon Contina camera with a Zavar Anastigmat lens and skylight haze filter and K2 daylight film. He took a seemingly innocent photograph of the house’s famous Tulip Staircase, an architectural marvel with its elegant spiral design and delicate wrought-iron railings.

At the time there was no one there, this was according to his wife as well, standing by his side. There was also a ‘no admittance’ sign, and no one was around them. 

Ghost on the Stairs: The picture was said to be sent to experts to check the validity of the image. Although it certainly could be a classic case of double exposure, the image of The Tulip Staircase Ghost still holds a lot of credibility with some.

When the film was developed, what should have been a simple snapshot became one of the most famous paranormal images in history. The photo clearly shows a shrouded, shadowy figure ascending the staircase, gripping the railing with an almost skeletal hand. Not one, but two hands, in fact, as if someone—or something—was climbing upward. 

Experts—including Kodak in their laboratory—examined the negative, ruling out tampering or double exposure. The eerie, translucent figure remained unexplained, solidifying its place in ghost-hunting lore.

Who—or What—Haunts the Queen’s House?

Theories about the Tulip Staircase Ghost abound, but the Queen’s House doesn’t just have one restless spirit. Some believe the spectral figure belongs to a 17th-century maid who was murdered on the staircase. Legend has it that she was pushed—or fell—to her death, and her tormented soul lingers to this day. Visitors and staff have reported hearing phantom footsteps on the staircase, feeling unseen hands brush against them, and even spotting a woman in old-fashioned clothing drifting through the halls, cleaning up the pool of blood before vanishing into thin air.

Read Also: The Brown Lady of Raynham Hall, another ghost allegedly caught on cam in a mansion in England.

But she’s not alone. Other ghostly residents allegedly include the sound of disembodied children laughing, the echoes of mysterious chanting, and the sudden appearance of shadowy figures that dissolve when approached. One particularly unnerving report comes from a group of restoration workers in the 1960s, who claimed to hear loud, violent footsteps following them—only to turn around and find no one there.

The Haunting Continues Through a Séance

As news of the spectral photograph of The Tulip Staircase Ghost spread, seven members of paranormal investigation organisation The Ghost Club decided to spend the night of Saturday 24 June 1967 in the Queen’s House to investigate the claims. They had to wear soft-soled shoes, synchronise their watches and carry a working torch, notebook and pencil at all times. Everything was to be noted down, from odd noises and smells to any feeling of a presence.

Séance in the Queen Anne House: held at night by members of The Ghost Club at the Queen’s House on 24th June 1967 after they saw the photo of the The Tulip Staircase Ghost.

According to some sources, they found some startling discoveries, such as bells ringing and shadowy figures. However, the vigil and séance produced no conclusive evidence of the paranormal that night, or any other night after.

A Haunting That Stands the Test of Time

Today, the Queen’s House is a part of the Royal Museums of Greenwich and what is now known as the Old Royal Naval College. While it’s best known for its art collection and architectural significance, those with an eye for the supernatural know better. The Tulip Staircase Ghost remains one of the most compelling pieces of paranormal evidence ever captured, and the building itself continues to exude an air of mystery.

Skeptics might scoff, dismissing the ghostly figure as a trick of light or an overactive imagination. But those who’ve felt the chill of unseen eyes watching them, or heard the spectral echoes of the past, know that the Queen’s House is more than just a historical landmark—it’s a place where the past refuses to stay buried.

So, if you ever find yourself in Greenwich, take a stroll through the Queen’s House. Admire its beauty, soak in its history… and maybe, just maybe, glance over your shoulder. You never know who—or what—might be following you up the Tulip Staircase.

More like this

Newest Posts

References:

The Tulip Staircase Ghost – Burials & Beyond 

Greenwich, Queen Anne, and the Ghost(s) of the Queen’s House – Historic Mysteries  

The Tulip Staircase, Queens House