Travel Tips

Basel hosts a lot of Dragons and Basilisks.
A Basilisk is actually a smaller Dragon with a head like a cock, a tail like a snake and wings like a bat. To look at it can kill you.
They are said to be living at Springs and Fountains - and where Basel lies today must have lived one, too - hence the name.

Dragons unfortunately do not life anymore today, but they left their traces and images at many places.

the classical Basilisken fountain.
There are several one in Basel.

Tourists can buy smaller versions of them.

Inschrift über dem Gerberbrunnen zu Basel:

On the Gerber Fountain in Basel is this written:

In dieses Brunnens dunklem Grund
haust einst die Sage tut's uns kund -
der Basilisk, ein Untier wild
Heute hält er Basels Wappenschild
D'rauf wird hier ein Gericht gehegt
auch Tanz und Minnesang gepflegt
vom Zunfthaus, das beim Quell dann stand
ward Gerberbrunnen er genannt.
Nachdem versiegt er manches Jahr
strömt heut er wieder voll und klar
Kein Drach' sinnt in ihm auf Mord
doch lebt ein andrer Drache fort.
O Basel, mach von ihm Dich frei:
der Zwietracht tritt den Kopf entzwei!

Dr. Paul Siegfried, 1927 (aus: Basler Basilisken)

In the dark ground of this fountain
once lived - as the stories tell
the Basilisk, a wild monster.
Today he holds Basels shield
Then here is spoken justice
and dancing and singing
and by the Zunft house that stood by the spring then,
it is called Gerber Fountain.
After it was dry for many years,
water is again streaming full and clear.
No dragon has a sense for killing here anymore,
but there is another dragon living forth,
Oh Basel get rid of him,
break the neck of the discord!

(free after Dr. Paul Siegfried 1927)

Another Fountain with a Basilisk motive.
This one can be found on the way to the Munster when walking up the Munsterberg.

Now where do basilisks come from?
They come from eggs that are laid in the dog days (when Sirius is high) into dung. A cock (!) that is 7 (or 9 years) old must lay it and a snake must brood it.

In the 15th century there was actually a cock convicted to death in Basel for laying an egg (and yes, he was 9 years old).

Now a real dragon (but a very small one).

Its Saint Georg who was a Dragon slayer.

(what a hero with such a small dragon, huh?)

This can be found on the facade of the Munster on the left side to the main entrance doors.

Talking about Saint Georg, here is another Monument of him and the Dragon (now looking more like a snake and still not really big).
This is standing on Kohleberg (follow the Tram Nr. 3 up the Hill from the Barfuesserplatz).

Oh, and speaking of Trams (the poison-green Railway), the older ones still have this sign (see picture) on the sides.