8 Great Gargoyles and Grotesques to Both Terrify and Amuse
Gargoyles and grotesques are hideous monstrosities—most of the time—that top buildings from Gothic cathedrals to older apartment buildings. Laborious works of masonry, their typically animal forms and gnarled or reptilian features set off immediate connections to earlier days of the church, days of fire and brimstone, and the immense effort that went into their construction. But gargoyles are a much more diverse family than Notre Dame would have you believe.
“Gargoyles” have been used as far back as ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome, as decorative water spouts designed to shift rainfall away from buildings and fancifully down to ground. They have been common features of buildings for centuries, often representations of animals, and it was in medieval Europe, that they picked up the name (from the French gargouille, or “waterspout”) and began to resemble the ones we’re familiar with today, many of which are actually “grotesques”—similarly iconic uglies, but ones placed for more purely cosmetic purposes. The forms were meant to represent evil and strike fear in the hearts of laypeople, who then (conveniently!) would turn to the nearby church for sanctuary. In modern times, gargoyles and grotesques the world over have found a second, tongue-in-cheek life, reminding folks on the ground that not even gargoyles have to take themselves seriously.
From the dark lord Vader crowning the Washington National Cathedral to a bat-like vampiric rabbit atop a church in Newcastle, England, some gargoyles are less mere decoration and more like secret sights to actively seek out. They can be a stony venue for pop culture references, nods to local heroes, and more. Without further ado, here are some of great, unusual gargoyles and grotesques around the world.
-
Revolutionary gridPredators are growing hungrier in the rapidly heating oceanA NASA rover just found trash on MarsLate bloomers eye medical schools amid hike planPS5 Pro: It looks like a sketch of the design just leakedMars may have harbored a shocking amount of water, scientists find9 Places That Celebrate Mexico's International ConnectionsProducts recalled overseas being sold in S. Korea: reportNYT Strands hints, answers for August 29S. Korean patrol ship spots N.K. vessel stranded near eastern maritime border: JCS
- ·雅安公安接连破获两起汉源湖非法捕捞案
- ·Wisconsin Republicans: Janet Protasiewicz impeachment efforts highlight hypocrisy.
- ·10 Places That Will Take You to Potato Paradise
- ·Fabulous Fruit Trees and Where To Find Them
- ·两个改造提升项目进入收尾阶段
- ·NK, Russia hold celebrations marking 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties
- ·Apple Vision Pro teardown: What's inside the $3,500 headset
- ·North Korean defectors meet world in 'Beyond Utopia'
- ·17 Spectacular Outdoor Staircases
- ·8 Remote Medieval Hermitages in Central Italy
- ·New York selected to host 2026 FIFA World Cup final
- ·7 Places to Get to Know the Real Saint Nick
- ·24 of the Oldest Trees in the World
- ·How to watch 'Wonka' at home — streaming release details, Max deals, and more
- ·14 Places to Walk in the Footsteps of Dinosaurs
- ·Best free online courses from Harvard University
- ·护航孩子成长 解决职工后顾之忧
- ·An Adventure Down Memory Lane With One of Our Top Contributors
- ·Luxury goods imports from China to NK increased over past 3 years: data
- ·10 Stunning Feats of Edible Art
- ·Apple finally sends out payments for MacBook's butterfly keyboard settlement
- ·Wisconsin Republicans: Janet Protasiewicz impeachment efforts highlight hypocrisy.
- ·Philippines, S. Korea recall cooperation that forged 75 years of ties
- ·What is Quantum Computing?
- ·Footage of Kim Yo
- ·Best free AI and ChatGPT courses
- ·PS5 Pro: It looks like a sketch of the design just leaked
- ·10 Post Offices Worth Writing Home About
- ·Hindu nationalists are freaking out about a California anti
- ·18 Places to Discover Innovation in Roosevelt Island and NYC
- ·Tesla considers adding a new ‘stuck detection' feature to Cybertruck. Here’s why.
- ·NK, Russia hold celebrations marking 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties
- ·Dani Alves faces sexual assault charge in Spain
- ·整合各方资源 服务社区居民
- ·Europe now has a huge AI gap, for better or for worse
- ·“讲村史 展村史 传村史”2023年多彩乡村 系列实践活动优秀作品、重点团队及 优秀组织单位公示