Myths and legends - Austria / II. Republic of Austria 2000 - 10 Shilling

The Basilisk House mentioned in the legend in Vienna, in the first district of Vienna, is located in the Schönlaterngasse 7 - unmistakably characterized by the house sign "Zum Basilisken". The cellar walls of this house date back to the 13th century. If one goes through this atmospheric old town street, one inevitably stops in front of the house number 7: Because between the windows of the second floor one sees a strange stone bird in a wall niche. In fact, it is a sandstone-shaped cock with an attached iron beak and tail; on the head is a golden Krömlein put on. According to legend, the strange beast, whose image is seen on the front of the house, was in the deep well of the courtyard: an old cock had laid an egg, a toad had hatched it, and a basilisk had hatched. He looked frightening, had the shape of a big cock, body and legs of a huge toad, shapeless, warty clawed paws, his tail was long and scaly, his eyes flared strangely, and on his head sat a fiery little crown. On the morning of June 12, 1212, the basilisk was discovered in the draw well of the house. Thereupon heavy stones were brought and poured down the well, thus freeing the whole city from this dangerous affliction.