This is one of 50 identical basilisks that were cast in the late 1800s, and around half of which still dot the city of Basel. The design, by Wilhelm Bubeck, won a competition in 1884, held to choose the footpath fountains for the city. This fellow stands on the north bank of the Rhine, gazing over the path of the St-Alban Ferry.

Australians might be shocked to learn that this and almost all other fountains in Basel are fed with drinkable water, which then runs lazily down the drains. There’s no need for water rationing here, which takes some mental adjustment. After a while, the urge to find and turn off the tap does fade though.