Why did they put gargoyles on churches?
The Catholic Church’s primary use of the gargoyle was to illustrate evil. The church wanted to convey a realistic image of the possibility of a damned afterlife. The Gothic idea was one of pain and suffering and the buildings loomed over the citizens in a romantically dramatic cloud.
Which cathedrals have gargoyles?
Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris Perhaps the most well-known gargoyles in the world hover on Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. Technically known as grotesques (true gargoyles have waterspouts as mouths), these monstrous creatures glare ominously down on the City of Light.
Why were gargoyles and grotesques placed on cathedrals?
During the Gothic period, however, the term grotesque was used specifically to describe the peculiar sculptures found on churches, cathedrals, and other Catholic institutions. Though they differ in function, both gargoyles and grotesques were intended to scare and protect.
Where are the gargoyles in France?
Among the most famous gargoyles and chimeras of Paris Le Stryge, above, is the most famous grotesque on Notre-Dame.
Why did medieval churches have gargoyles?
Gargoyles were originally designed in 13th century French architecture as a means of disposing of water. Think of them as the precursor to the gutter. Typically, a trough was cut into the back of the gargoyle and the rainwater was able to run off of the roof and through the gargoyle’s mouth.
What is the symbolic meaning of a gargoyle?
spiritual protectors
Many considered gargoyles the spiritual protectors of churches as well, scaring off demons and evil spirits. Some historians believe gargoyles were inspired from pagan eras and were used to make churches feel more familiar to new Christians.
Are gargoyles medieval?
History. The term gargoyle is most often applied to medieval work, but throughout all ages, some means of water diversion, when not conveyed in gutters, was adopted. In ancient Egyptian architecture, gargoyles showed little variation, typically in the form of a lion’s head.
What is the spiritual purpose of a gargoyle?
Many considered gargoyles the spiritual protectors of churches as well, scaring off demons and evil spirits. Some historians believe gargoyles were inspired from pagan eras and were used to make churches feel more familiar to new Christians.
What is the difference between a grotesque and a gargoyle?
The word gargoyle is also used figuratively to mean an excessively ugly person. A grotesque is a carved animal or human attached to a building that is merely decorative and does not serve any other function. Grotesques are found on churches and other buildings such as university halls.
What do gargoyles symbolize?
What are gargoyles purpose?
Gargoyles are waterspouts that are designed to throw rain water away from the outside wall of a building. Derived from the Old French gargouille, meaning throat, the term was first used to describe carved lions and spouts on ancient classical buildings.
Why do medieval churches have gargoyles?
The most important purpose of medieval gargoyles was water drainage from the roof. For this purpose, gargoyles were placed on the edges of the roofs and could be more than one. This served in quickly draining the rainwater, thus decreasing the pressure on the roof and saving it from damage.
What culture do gargoyles come from?
What do the medieval gargoyles symbolize?
In addition to the practical function of projecting water away from a building, gargoyles were also intended to symbolise ‘guardianship’ of the building and to ward off evil spirits. Their open mouths were symbolic of them devouring giants.
What is a gargoyle Christianity?
Why did we stop putting gargoyles on buildings?
Gargoyles are typically heavy, carved stone, which were neither cheap to make, nor easy to maintain in their own right. Constant water flow made some structurally unstable, which resulted in a spate of falling gargoyles towards the end of their design era. Ultimately, modern guttering made them superfluous.
Are gargoyles religious?
What is the myth behind gargoyles?
In folklore, gargoyles are thought to ward off harmful spirits, their wide open mouths symbolic of devouring giants. They were also thought to act as a reminder of the hell that awaited anyone who did not attend church.
Why are there gargoyles on French Gothic churches?
Why are there Gargoyles on French Gothic Churches you might ask. Well, it seems that there’s one explanation you may need to take with a pinch of salt. This story takes place in the seventh century. It’s been retold many times over the last 1400 years resulting in several adaptations.
Why are gargoyles important to the history of architecture?
Gargoyles were important symbols adorning medieval Catholic churches, relating to Satan and original sin, but they were also important architectural features created with a purpose, that of a waterspout.
What are the gargoyles of Notre Dame like?
The gargoyles and grotesques of Notre Dame, of which there are hundreds, are particularly stunning, and they have been keeping rainwater and evil spirits away from the church since the 13th century. Some of them look positively ferocious, while others are elegant, and some even look a bit bored.
What is the origin of the word gargoyle?
The word gargoyle gets its origins from the French word gargouille, which means throat or gullet. These stone creatures were designed with spouts coming out of the mouth, which serves to filter rainwater away from the edge of a building.