Fulfillment of desires
Titian. Cupid with a wheel of fortune
If you believe the tourist guides and the stories of the tour guides, it turns out that there are many places and objects in the world that can help fulfill the most cherished desires. Of course, few people can afford to go to distant lands just to check on their own how much you can trust any statue in London, a bridge in Venice or a fountain in Madrid.
But why not, being on business or on a tourist trip in a foreign country or in an unfamiliar city, not visit a couple of objects that are eagerly awaiting you in order to fulfill your deepest dreams?
There are a lot of such places and objects. Of course, we will not take seriously the remakes created for the amusement of tourists just a few years ago. But some objects are hundreds and even thousands of years old, they are inextricably linked with history and the culture of their countries. They are the ones that cause the greatest interest and involuntary respect. And so why not visit them when you are nearby?
Therefore, in this article we will not talk about all kinds of "Zero kilometers" - this, frankly, is quite banal and boring. And the rituals associated with them look quite ridiculous and stupid from the outside.
How can you clown and grimace in front of everyone in Parvi North Dam Square near the great cathedral? Is that why we came to Paris and came to the Isle of Cité?
Against this background, even the ritual at the Moscow metro station "Ploschad Revolyutsii" (which itself is a monument of the Soviet era) looks pretty decent. Students and schoolchildren touch the nose of one of the dogs that sit at the feet of border guards. This sculptural group is interesting because the prototypes of the border guard and the dog are the famous Nikita Karatsupa and his dog Hindu.
The rest of the citizens at the same station should look for the figure of a sailor with a flag in his hand: in this case, we are interested in the flag.
Nature lovers in Moscow can combine business with pleasure and take a walk in one of three Moscow parks: Maryina Roshcha, Neskuchny Garden or the Kolomenskoye nature reserve. In Maryina Roshcha, to fulfill your wishes, it is enough to stroke the first poplar that comes along. It is recommended that lovers go to Neskuchny Garden: find there a dilapidated bridge over the ravine and walk along it hand in hand.
And “Kolomenskoye”, where the boulders “Maiden's Stone” and “Stone-Goose” (also called “Horse's Head”) lie on the slope of the ravine, are waiting for married couples. It is necessary to collect water from a spring nearby and, thinking about future children, drink it while sitting on these boulders: a man - on the "Stone-Goose", a woman - on "Maiden".
Goose stone
Maiden stone
But this method of dealing with infertility, perhaps, can be recommended only to completely desperate childless couples: the water from this stream does not inspire any confidence.
Earlier it was believed that the Assumption bell on the bell tower of Ivan the Great was also endowed with magical power. An ancient belief claimed that a person who personally called him three times would be rich and happy all his life. This bell was allowed to ring only once a year, on Easter. And only three chosen ones. Before the revolution, the permission was played in a special lottery, to which people from all over the country came to Moscow. The winners were considered eligible suitors.
In St. Petersburg we, of course, will not go to the caricature sculpture of Peter I in the Peter and Paul Fortress. And we will not stand in line to grab the finger of an unsightly emperor. Here, people who dream of a promotion should try to touch the sarcophagus of Emperor Paul I.
Let's forget about Chizhik, who is thrown by everyone together with unnecessary trifles. If you really want to throw something somewhere, then it is better to go to Malaya Sadovaya Street (at the intersection with Nevsky Prospekt) and try to throw a coin on the pedestal of a cat figurine installed at the level of the second floor of the Eliseevsky store.
Eliseevsky store. St. Petersburg, st. Malaya Sadovaya 8, Nevsky prospect, 56.
You can also make a wish in other cities. In Novgorod, they believe that if you walk around the temple of Paraskeva Pyatnitsa and count 550 corners, things will certainly go uphill.
Temple of Paraskeva Friday. Novgorod
In Chersonesos (Sevastopol), those wishing to get rich should throw a pebble at a large bell on the coast: if there is a ringing, then the desire may come true.
Near Maikop in Adygea there is the Big Azish cave, in which there is an ice column called the "Palm of desires". The legend claims that he can help if you ask him for money for good purposes.
"Palm of wishes"
In the cities of Cheboksary and Penza there are "magic stones" - taganaites (stones of love, happiness and the sun), brought from the South Urals.
Taganaites in Cheboksary
Taganaites in Penza
They were installed here recently, but the stones themselves are real. And not simple cobblestones, but ornamental ones: this is quartz with inclusions of plates of mica, hematite, ilmenite. In V. Dahl's dictionary, taganaite is also called gold glitter, gold glitter, sparkling, sparkling. Similar stones are called aventurines, and taganaite got its name from the only deposit in Russia, located on the Taganai ridge of the Urals.
On the Big Zayatsky Island (one of the Solovetsky ones) of the Arkhangelsk Region, you can see labyrinths, which the locals call Babylon. One of them is associated with the belief that a man who has gone through it will become smarter, and a woman will be cured of infertility. Here it is, do not mix it up.
However, this is a modern "attraction" for tourists: researchers still argue about the true purpose of these and other labyrinths. This was discussed in the article Great mysteries of labyrinths... But look at the labyrinths of the Big Hare Island, in any case, will not be superfluous.
Another mystical object is located near Lake Pleshcheevo. This is the famous Blue Stone and belongs to the rare "moving" category. Since ancient times, local pagans performed rituals around it. In the end, a certain Onuphrius, the deacon of the Borisoglebsk Nadozerny monastery, ordered to bury it in the ground, but he "got out." In 1788 it was decided to put it under the foundation of the Dukhovskaya church, which was under construction, but when transported over the ice, a sled with a stone fell into the water. And 70 years later, the Blue Stone somehow ended up on the lake again. Glaciologists believe that he could have fallen on a block of ice lying at the bottom, which then surfaced and brought the stone to the shore. Tourists make wishes about him with might and main.
Blue stone.
Modern photography
In fact, quite a lot can be said about various megaliths, "serpentine" and "star" stones. But we will probably talk about them next time: readers who liked the article Great mysteries of labyrinths, it will also be very interesting.
Good luck and happiness can also be tried by visiting our closest neighbors. In Kiev, for example, opposite the presidential administration building is the famous House with Chimeras.
On the facade, among all the evil spirits, the architect Gorodetsky placed a sculpture of a crocodile. If you manage to find it, then perhaps your wish will come true. But finding it is quite difficult.
On the territory of the Mikhailovsky Cathedral, located not far from the funicular, there is a gazebo-chapel with a fountain: many throw coins there, but it would be more correct to shove them into the gap between the stone slabs.
On the street Andreevsky descent there is a museum of M. Bulgakov. Here the tradition of making a wish arose by placing a hand on the grate from the veranda of the Bulgakovs' house: some people still leave notes on it for faithfulness, and sometimes even gold jewelry. They say that the museum staff have already collected a small collection. Perhaps someday it will become part of the museum's exposition. Mikhail Afanasyevich himself sits on a bench next to Bulgakov's house (a bronze sculpture, of course): you can sit down next to him and whisper your desire in the ear of the famous writer.
I only wonder who he will pass it on later? Is it really Woland? In any case, a visit to the museum will be interesting for people who appreciate the work of this writer. Well, at the same time, if you wish, you can check the "magical properties" of both the lattice and the monument.
If you pass near the famous Golden Gate (why not, in fact, go near them?), Then you can also approach the remake - the sculpture of the cat Panteleimon and make a wish, taking him by the ears and tail at the same time.
Of course, I would not recommend looking specifically for it. Just as I would not recommend going to the Panikovsky monument, you need to look at the sole of the boot of which with the help of a mirror, while rubbing a coin. What financial help can you expect from a clinical failure who has died in poverty?
In the Sofievsky park of the city of Uman (Cherkasy region), arranged by order of the Polish magnate Stanislav Potocki as a gift to his wife (after whom the park was named), there is the Calypso grotto. According to legend, Pototsky himself left the following inscription here:
"Whoever is unhappy, let him come in and be happy, and whoever is happy, let him be even happier."
Calypso grotto
In Dnepropetrovsk you can see a building with a “balcony of desires”: standing on it, A. Pushkin once saw Maria Raevskaya for the first time and made a wish that she would reciprocate. Modern tourists make a similar wish while standing under the same balcony.
In Odessa, it is recommended to go around the monument to Duke clockwise.
In ancient Polotsk, you need to touch the Borisov stone, which is located not far from the Hagia Sophia.
Borisov stone. Polotsk
This is one of four similar stones, the first mention of which is contained in the "Chronicle of the Lithuanian and Zhamoit" (XVI century):
Everyone will find a stone in the high Dvina, a mile from Disna, and seven miles from Polotsk, between Dvina and Disna, going to the bottom of the rapids, on which there is a stone cross and that prince Boris under it the inscription: "Help, Lord, your servant Boris" ...
Boris mentioned in the inscription is the eldest son of the Polotsk "prince-sorcerer" Vseslav.
Some believe that these stones were objects of worship of the pagans: as if this is why crosses were carved on them. Others consider the inscriptions to be a kind of plea to heaven for help during the famine of 1127–1128.
For many years this stone lay at the bottom of the Western Dvina near the village of Podkosteltsy, showing in dry years. It was brought to the Cathedral of St. Sophia in 1981. Another "Borisov Stone" can be seen in Moscow - on the territory of the Kolomenskoye Museum-Reserve.
Near the city of Siauliai in Lithuania there is the Cross Mountain, on which, according to some researchers, a pagan temple was previously located. According to a common practice in Europe, crosses were often erected in such places, or even chapels and churches were built. In order, on the one hand, to consecrate the place and expel demons from it, and on the other, to use the ancient tradition for their own purposes.
So in Lithuania, with the spread of Christianity, the belief came that having put a cross on this mountain, you can directly ask the Almighty for something. Tens of thousands of crosses of various sizes and shapes have already been erected, and the hill itself has become a local landmark. One of these crosses was installed by Pope John Paul II (September 7, 1993).
For the more hasty tourists, Vilnius has a “plate of miracles”, which can be easily found on the square near the main cathedral. "Magic action" is quite traditional and differs little from rituals in other cities: you need to stand on the stove, make a wish and turn twice.
But it is better not to clown around in front of everyone, but to try to take part in a much more exotic action: “make a sacrifice” on the altar of the pagan god Ragutis, which still stands on the “Gediminas Hill” not far from the royal castle in the center of Vilnius.
Live roosters and black cats are not needed: grain, salt and beer are sacrificed here.
In Estonia, those who like to make a wish should visit the Dome Cathedral, at the entrance to which there is a slab with the inscription "Otto Johann Tove". Who this person is is not known for certain. However, the ancient legend claims that this is the grave of a sinner who, dying, bequeathed to bury himself at the entrance to the church, so that everyone who stepped on his grave would remove one sin from him. In return, Tove undertook to beg from God everything that the person who trampled his ashes dreams of.
Once in the United States, the most desperate can go to St. Louis No. 1789 Cemetery, founded in 1 in New Orleans. The graves here are not located in the ground, but above the ground, since the cemetery is flooded with groundwater.
New Orleans. Cemetery "St. Louis No. 1"
They say that here you can meet the ghost of the mulatto Marie Laveau, who was called the "Queen of Voodoo" and is considered the founder of the New Orleans version of this magical practice.
Marie Laveau
In the first half of the XNUMXth century, the daughter of a black slave woman was so influential in New Orleans that politicians and businessmen who arrived in Louisiana first rushed to her small house to pay respect and receive protection. With people who ignored Marie Laveau, fearing the revenge of the priestess, in New Orleans, no one wanted to have any business.
House of Marie Laveau in New Orleans.
Laveau's ghost can be recognized by the seven-knotted red and white turban, as well as the large snake that accompanies her. She is credited with the ability to fulfill wishes after death: you need to draw a cross on her tomb or put three coins next to it, then turn around three times around its axis and knock on the crypt door three times. The guides say that at night in this cemetery priests and priestesses of Voodoo still perform their rituals.
About another famous cemetery V. Hugo once said that
"To be buried on it is like having mahogany furniture."
You probably guessed that it is about Pere Lachaise. Recently, it has also become known as the seat of numerous superstitions and occult beliefs. On the grave of Robespierre's beloved Eleanor Duplet, there are inscriptions made by hopelessly in love girls.
For some unknown reason, the tombstone of the utopian communist Auguste Blanca was chosen by women suffering from infertility. What exactly are the "suffering" asking the French journalist Victor Noir, who was shot in 1870, try to guess for yourself.
Thrill-seekers try to enter the Demidovs' ancestral mausoleum.
According to the "eyewitnesses", Elizaveta Demidova (nee Baroness Stroganova) rises from the grave every night and can predict the future for the visitor.
Jean-Louis Veil. Portrait of the young Elizaveta Stroganova.
In Paris, she is called "The Queen of Spades" - because this legend appeared shortly after the translation of Pushkin's novel of the same name into French (it was performed by Prosper Merimee).
A certain Adele Herriot, having become pregnant with the youngest son of Elizabeth Anatoly, decided to visit this mausoleum. The ghost of the princess appeared to Adele exactly at midnight and demanded an abortion on the grounds that she was her lover's half-sister. Adele's grandmother confirmed that her mother had an affair with Nikolai Demidov, Elizabeth's husband, but Anatoly did not believe this story, deciding that the woman invented this story as an excuse to end the romance.
In Paris, there is an unusual monument to the writer Marcel Emma - relatively new, but interesting in that its author is the famous film actor Jean Mare. Emme is depicted as her character trapped in a stone trap in a wall.
For some reason, it is believed that a writer’s "handshake" brings good luck.
Well, if you have a real cherished desire, and you want to act for sure, then go to the most mystical and unusual city in the world - to Prague, of course. This city does not need funny and dubious remake monuments (which "tolerant" local authorities have already instructed quite a lot, having ruined their beautiful city with them).
Any stone in the city center is several hundred years old. And Prague's wish-fulfilling objects have been tested for centuries.
The most famous such place, of course, is the Charles Bridge with the bas-reliefs of the pedestal of the sculpture of St. John of Nepomuk: they shine like new from the touch of hundreds of thousands of hands.
There is also a statue of Saint Ivo, who patronizes law students: if Ivo holds a can of beer in his hand, then the exam has been successfully passed.
Another way to find happiness is to count all the finches on the bridge tower of Mala Strana (called the most beautiful medieval tower in Europe). This is said to provide good luck for the whole year.
The bridge tower of Mala Strana. Prague
While in Prague, it is difficult to resist visiting a place that has won fame among European occultists as the darkest point in Europe in mystical terms. This is the Old Jewish Cemetery. On a tiny piece of land there are about 200 thousand burials and about 12 thousand gravestones of different eras (from 1439 (the date of the first burial) and ending in 1787), dug at different angles into the soil very closely to each other.
Tombstones of the old Jewish cemetery in Prague.
Here it will not be difficult for you to find the burial place of the famous Rabbi Yehuda Leo ben Bezalel, who, according to legend, in 1580 created the world's first Robot - Golem. There is a belief that if, after making a wish, according to the ancient Jewish custom, a pebble is placed on the grave, it will surely come true. But keep in mind that the wish can be fulfilled too literally and be careful with the wording.
Nothing in the world is given for free. And in Prague you will be told a lot of stories about the expensive price that one has to pay for undeserved gifts of fate.
And in Prague, you can buy several doll witches who, to the best of their ability, will help you in your everyday affairs. Some of them know the secrets of cooking - they must be placed in the kitchen. Others, with a magic book in their hands, fulfill a wish - they say that if you write down a wish in her book, it will certainly come true. But the book has only one blank page - for one desire. A witch with a red candle in her hands helps in love affairs, a witch with a bottle of elixir - in case of illness, and a witch with a bag is famous for her charms for finding wealth - you need to put a coin in her bag and wait for enrichment.
In Poland, for the fulfillment of desires, it is especially recommended to visit two cities: Torun and Chelm.
The first of them, once upon a time, as a result of a large flood, literally flooded with thousands of frogs. To commemorate the happy deliverance of these amphibians, a monument to the frog was erected on the Market Square of the city. Make a wish and touch the monument.
And in Chelm there are underground labyrinths, which, according to legend, are guarded by the spirit of the bear Belukha, allegedly often coming out to meet those who like to wander through the caves. It is when a bear appears that you need to make a wish. Pessimists, however, argue that at this meeting, all people have the same desire quite spontaneously, which they carry out without outside help and completely independently. And very few people agree to follow him in complete darkness to the "Chamber of Desires" to put their hand to the wall.
Beluga whales on the Chelm coat of arms.
In Leipzig, you can still see the wine cellar described by Goethe: it has been known since 1438. And it was he who was once allegedly visited by Mephistopheles and Faust. Making wishes, the tourists polished Faust's left boot to a shine.
Mephistopheles and Faust. Leipzig
In Munich, they do the same with the heads of lions on the shields at the former royal residence (these shields are also held by lions).
And this is the "Heidelberg Monkey", a sculpture of the XNUMXth century: if you touch your right paw - you will return to the city, rub the mirror - provide yourself with prosperity.
Bronze monkey. Heidelberg.
And here is the "golden ring", which, according to legend, was inserted in the lattice of the fountain in Nuremberg by some apprentice back in the XIV century. He did this to demonstrate his skills to the teacher, with whose daughter he was in love.
It is played by women wishing to have a child.
Well, and finally, "the most kissable statue in the world" - "Goose Girl Lisa", the patroness of the students of the University of Göttingen.
In Italy, you can try to fulfill your innermost desires in almost any more or less famous city.
In Florence, for example, the famous bronze hog, installed on top of the lattice of one of the fountains in the city center, is always ready to serve tourists. First you need to rub his patch with a coin, and then put it on his tongue. If she does not get stuck and falls through the frequent bars of the lattice into the fountain - wait for good luck in love.
A copy of this sculpture stands in Munich near the Museum of Hunting and Fisheries: here the "patch" is tinder, hoping no longer for love, but for good luck.
In Verona, at the legendary house of Juliet (Casa di Giulietta), millions of girls polished the breasts of Shakespeare's bronze heroine standing in the courtyard to shine: they say that this simple procedure can ignite reciprocal feelings in a loved one.
On the island of Torcello in the Venetian lagoon, you can see a chair carved in the XNUMXth century from a single piece of marble, which is called the "throne of Attila".
It is said that those who manage to sit on it will be lucky. However, the "throne" has nothing to do with Attila: this chair was intended for the heads of the magistrate Torcello. But one and a half thousand years of history of the chair still command respect.
In Rome, the most popular among tourists is the famous Trevi Fountain, created by the architect Nicolo Salvi in the middle of the XNUMXth century. The guides advise you to stand with your back to the fountain and throw four coins with your right hand over your left shoulder four times: the first is to be sure to come back, the second is for luck, the third is for good luck in love, and the fourth is for wealth.
And in the Vatican Cathedral of St. Peter, you need to touch the bronze statue of a saint sitting with keys in his hands.
The stone of desires in the Irish castle of Blarney, located near Cork, is very curious: it must be kissed, leaning over the wall, lying on your back. People with the makings of outstanding gymnasts and acrobats will receive the gift of eloquence as a reward.
And those who want to get a literary talent in the Lisbon cafe "Brasillièra" will find a sculpture of the writer Fernando Pesoa: you have to sit at his table and have a cup of coffee.
In Greece, near the destroyed Delphic temple of Apollo, you need to touch the sacred stone called the "navel of the earth" (which, according to legend, fell from the sky).
In the Athens Acropolis on Aristotle's Square, local guides will definitely advise you to hold on to the philosopher's finger.
And their Egyptian colleagues in Luxor will recommend walking around the Sacred Scarab Beetle and touching it. It is important not to be confused here: if you walk 3 times counterclockwise - you will be rich, 7 times - any desire will come true, 9 - a child will be born in the family.
In the well-known Turkish resort town of Marmaris, there is a mosque, near which a thousand-year-old plane tree grows, which is called the wish tree. You can make as many wishes near it as you like, but for each you need to go around this plane tree three times.
An even more ancient object is located in Istanbul: in the famous Hagia Sophia there is a “weeping column”, which is also called “the column of desires” - it is square and lined with copper plates.
Tradition connects her with the repentance of "Theodora from a brothel" - the wife of Emperor Justinian, who, having grown old, often prayed and cried near her, which is why the surface of this column is now always wet. If you stick your finger into the round slot of the column and make a wish, then, according to legend, it will come true.
Also in Turkey, in the city of Ephesus, there is a source near which, according to legend, the Virgin Mary spent the last years of her life. Tourists tie knots on his grate, making a wish.
Many have heard of the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem, which is sometimes called the "mailbox of God." These are the remains of the retaining wall of the Second Temple, the construction of which was begun during the reign of the famous King Herod (the first 7 layers of stones out of 45). The height of this wall is 32 meters, 13 of which are now underground, and the weight of the largest stone is 570 tons.
All cracks in the wall are filled with small pieces of paper on which are written the requests with which the believers turn to God.
Among the petitioners who came to this Wall were M. Gorbachev, V. Putin, D. Medvedev, B. Obama, D. Trump, B. and H. Clinton, P. Poroshenko, Y. Timoshenko, V. Zelensky, and See also Messi, Neymar and Pope Benedict XVI.
This tradition is believed to be 300 years old. And it appeared after the rabbis addressed the Jews not to spoil the wall by hammering in nails and not to scratch extraneous inscriptions on it.
Some locals make money from tourists, demanding money from them for the prayer they say. Moreover, offers of intermediary services have appeared, who are ready to put notes sent by mail (now they can be e-mailed - they are printed on a printer) on the Wall, and send a video report on how this happened.
Before the holidays of Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) and Passover (Jewish Passover), under the guidance of the Chief Rabbi of the Western Wall and the holy places, these notes are removed and taken to the Mount of Olives for burial.
The Orthodox Church treats this tradition with restraint. Some priests even believe that turning to the Wailing Wall is tantamount to visiting a synagogue. Indeed, many Israeli rabbis claim that
“You have to talk to God, not correspond.”
In the Croatian city of Split, there is the palace of the Roman emperor Diocletian (the one who, at the suggestion of a former comrade-in-arms to return to power, showed him cabbage grown by his own hands). At the gates of this palace there is a bronze sculpture of Bishop Grgun of Nin, who became famous for his struggle for the democratization of divine services, in particular, for conducting the service in the Slavic language. To fulfill the desire, it is advised to hold on to the big toe of this saint.
Grgur Ninski. Split
And if you ever find yourself in Samarkand, try to go to the famous Bibi-Khanum mosque and walk around the Koran stand three times.
Bibi-Khanum Mosque. Samarkand
On the Malaysian island of Langkawi, the "Lake of the Pregnant Virgin" is shown: you guessed it, swimming in it is intended for women who dream of a baby.
In the Japanese Inland Sea, there is the island of Miyajima, which is considered sacred and has no cemeteries. Here is one of the oldest Shinto shrines in the country - Itsukushima. Its bright red gates are located far out to sea; you can only pass under them at low tide. There is a belief: a person who succeeds in doing this will find happiness and prosperity.
And on Peking Square in front of the Temple of Heaven, you can see a drawn circle, turning in which 360 degrees, supposedly you can hope for luck in matters related to finances.
Of course, in this article we have considered only a small part of the legends and traditions related to the fulfillment of wishes.
Impossible to embrace the immensity.
In independent travel, you can broaden your horizons and find new "places of power" not mentioned in this article.
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