Vienna, Austria (folk tale)

The Basilisk of Vienna

Folklore — not a documented case

A basilisk that killed with its gaze is said to have lived in the well of a house in Vienna's old town; according to legend, it was turned to stone with a mirror.

In Vienna's historic centre, on the façade of the house at Schönlaterngasse 7, there is a painting of a strange creature resembling a rooster. The image recalls one of the city's oldest legends: the Basiliskenhaus, the House of the Basilisk.

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The stories in this section are folk tales and legends; they are not verified, real events and should not be confused with the rest of the archive.

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