Basilisk Mythical Creature themed Statues in Basel

While Bern of Switzerland has the big and burly Bears, Basel has Basilisk the mythical creature!

It is the most interesting sculpture we stumbled upon during walking tour of Basel. The weird looking creature was the Basilisk. Never knew of it before. Like dragons of China they are legendary reptiles reputed to be a serpent king. But beware if the Basilisk snake existed today they can kill you with a single glance.

Basilisk  Mythical creature in Basel

Animal Parade in Basel

There are some interesting animal themed sculptures and installations in Basel. At each bend of the streets there, we would find either a frog popping out or fish crawling over walls and many more. Soon it was a game for my daughters, searching out unique critters.

Animal themed sculptures in Basel

Wall murals and art Basel

Wall Art in Basel

Statue of Crow on a window

Basilisk Mythical Creature

And at one bend we found this unique creature. Unable to recognize, I just clicked its picture. The pic below is Basel’s heraldic animal, I read up later. It is the basilisk, a dragon with a snake’s tail and chick’s head. In European legends, a basilisk is a legendary reptile reputed to be king of serpents and said to have the power to cause death with a single glance.

It features on the city seal and some fountains. We saw an image of it in Basel Munster too.

Image of Basilisk in Basel Minster

Image of Basilisk in Basel Minster

Mythical basilisk has features of these animals:

  • A huge lizard
  • a giant snake
  • composite of a reptile and rooster
  • head, plumage, and front legs of the rooster
  • a reptilian tail sometimes scaly wings, hence described as a cockatrice.

Birth and Death of Basilisk Mythical Creature

My kids got curious about this creature. What is a Basilisk? Are Basilisks of Basel Mythological or Real? I had to read up on Basilisk and I scoured the internet for more info. It is believed that basilisk creature has disappeared from most parts of earth. However according to Cantabarian mythology this creature still lives in Cantabria in north of Spain but rare to find like Yeti in Himalayas.

The stories and beliefs about birth and death of basilisk are so hard to imagine. Basilisk is born from an egg laid by a serpent and hatched by an old cockerel just before his death on a clear full moon night exactly at midnight.

This is reverse of the cockatrice, which hatches from a hen’s egg incubated in a snake’s nest. Yet another story mentions Basilisk is born out of egg laid by a rooster and incubated by a toad.

Within a few days the strange creature pops out of the egg shell, which is soft and leathery. It has all features of an adult: legs, beak, cockscomb, and reptilian body. Though a serpent it walks on its feet, doesn’t wriggle or crawl.

Basilisk Basilisk Mythical creature water spouts in Basel

Basilisk  Mythical creature themed water spouts in Basel

But it was a dangerous one because its body was soaked with venom. Wherever it walked the grass dried out! Whatever it gazed died instantly or crumbled to pieces, even hard rock.

Such a powerful animal, obviously killing it was not easy. The weasel is the only animal that could challenge the basilisk to death. However the weasel too dies in the process. Another way the basilisk can die is by gazing at its own reflection.

Basilisk: Interesting related Facts

  • There is a reptile from the iguana family named green basilisk lizard. It is also called a plumed or double-crested basilisk.
  • Word basilisk in English stems from the Greek βασιλίσκος basiliskos, which translates as “a kinglet, a kind of serpent.”
  • Basilisk lives in a cellar or a deep well. Sun’s rays rendered its poison less effective.
  • It waits for some unsuspecting human to come by, and overcomes by its noxious vapors.

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