What are the most popular mythical creatures in Europe? – PHOTOS

Not everyone is into it, but with Halloween being more and more widespread, the end of October is the spooky season for many. Shops decorate their windows or the entire store with spider webs and cute ghosts. While nowadays it is more of a cheerful and fun holiday, the roots are a bit creepier and more mythical. Bedsheet ghosts, vampires, zombies, and werewolves became a major part of popular culture, but for many countries, there are a dozen different and interesting mythical creatures that are part of their folklore.

To get you into the spooky spirit, CashNetUSA created beautiful maps that feature the most popular creatures of many countries. But it is not just a guess; according to Matador Network – who also featured their maps –, CashNetUSA used plenty of sources, such as bestiaries, and then examined with the help of Google data which creatures were the most searched for in each region.

Thanks to their wide use throughout history, on coats of arms and flags, as well as in legends, movies, and books, it is no wonder that the dragon is one of the most popular mythical creatures in Europe.

It was at the top of creature searches in England, Wales – although the creature is a bit different for Welsh people than some of the other countries –, Italy, Switzerland, Lichtenstein, and San Marino.

Another creature that you might have heard of is the ‘Baba Yaga’. It was featured in the more recent Hellboy movie, and Keanu Reeves in the John Wick series was also referred to by this name. She is an old, forest-dwelling witch or a trio of old witches who are an integral part of Slavic culture. Her hut has chicken legs and, depending on the circumstances and different stories, she is either a child-eating monster or someone who might help people who seek her. She is well-known in Belarus, Bulgaria, Russia, Montenegro, Ukraine, and Slovakia.