GARGOYLE HISTORY AND STATUES
The Gargoyle often makes his perch on a Cathedral or Church where in mid ecclesiastic style…he smiles an early gothic smile ~ Oliver Herford.
These are a peculiar race of creature which have inhabited many places in France – dating as far back as 600 B.C.
(Palais de Jacques)
The purpose of a Gargoyle was to drain water from a building. The word comes from the French ” gargouille” meaning “throat or pipe”. The statues have migrated away from Churches and can now be found on other buildings.
In medieval times people had a powerful belief in God. The Cathedral was a “sermon in stone” which could be “read” by an illiterate population. Some Gargoyles are illustrating Bible stories - from Eve’s first reach for the apple - to the images of eternal damnation.
Not all were for religious instruction however, many are simply grotesque, and they were made so in order to scare off evil spirits and that is why they were put on buildings.
If you have seen Gargoyles, you will notice a recurring theme of European paganism.
These photos were taken at the Palais de Jacques Coeur in Bourges France.
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Copyright article and pictures 2009, Isis @ World Mysteries And True Ghost Tales
I love the history behind the Gargoyles, i always thought they were demons, or another name for them at least.
The photos you took are excellent Isis, i’ll put the rest up soon!
Thank you, me too I had to reseach them too, but they’re all over the place here!
Do the French still feel threatened by evil spirits to have the gargoyles all over the place? i never knew they were so superstitious.
I think gargoyles are gorgeous! I have two of them as decoration…I hadn’t known about the purpose of them draining water….so much more character than the crappy gutters we have to drain ours!
Thanks for the share here, and those photographs are terrific!
EP,
I think there still is alot of superstion here, strange but that’s the things they believe in.
Scary, Me too love them , but they do exsit on some buildings in the US , no??
I bet they’re on buildings worldwide.
These little Eurpean countries tend to have too much superstition.