April 22, 2013 at 1:29 pm

40 Gargoyles and Grotesques Around the World

by twistedsifter

 

In architecture, a gargoyle is a carved stone grotesque, usually made of granite, with a spout designed to convey water from a roof and away from the side of a building thereby preventing rainwater from running down masonry walls and eroding the mortar between. Architects often used multiple gargoyles on buildings to divide the flow of rainwater off the roof to minimize the potential damage from a rainstorm. Gargoyles are usually an elongated fantastic animal because the length of the gargoyle determines how far water is thrown from the wall. [Source]

A grotesque is a sculpture that does not work as a waterspout and serves only an ornamental or artistic function. Both gargoyles and grotesques are said to frighten off and protect those it guards from any evil or harmful spirits.

As an architectural sculpture I find gargoyles and grotesques fascinating. Whether ornamental or functional, their symbolism and ability to stir the emotions of those that gaze upon them is intriguing. Below you will find a collection of gargoyles and grotesques around the world. You can find many more examples on Flickr and Wikimedia Commons.

 

1. Oakland Cemetery – Atlanta, Georgia

gargoyle oakland cemetery atlanta georgia 40 Gargoyles and Grotesques Around the World

 

 

2. San Juan de los Reyes Monastery – Toledo, Spain

gargoyle

Photograph by yoglassberg on Flickr

 

 

3. Natural History Museum – London, England

gargoyle statue

Photograph by Jon Sullivan

 

 

4. Notre Dame Cathedral – Paris, France

París

 

 

5. Cologne Cathedral – Cologne, Germany

Gargoyle

 

 

6. Cathedral of Quito – Quito, Ecuador

Ecuador_gargoyles_quito_cathedral

Photograph by Delphine Ménard

 

 

7. Palau de la Generalitat de Catalunya – Barcelona, Spain

Palau_de_la_Generalitat_gargoyle_barcelona spain

Photograph by Bernard Gagnon

 

 

8. Forbidden City – Beijing, China

Gargoyles in the Forbidden City

 

 

9. Mont Saint-Michel – Normandy, France

gargoyles

Photograph by Regina on Flickr

 

 

10. Washington National Cathedral – Washington D.C., USA

gargoyle washignton natoinal cathedral washington dc 40 Gargoyles and Grotesques Around the World

 

 

11. St. Nicholas Church – Lüneburg, Germany

Gargoyle_water-spout-tower_of_St._Nicholas_Church

 

 

12. Peace Tower on Parliament Hill – Ottawa, Canada

South-east_grotesque_on_Peace_Tower-ottawa-canada

 

 

13. Marble Church, Bodelwyddan – Clwyd, Wales

Gargoyle

Photograph by Kev Bailey on Flickr

 

 

14. Cologne Cathedral – Cologne, Germany

gargoyles cologne cathedral germany

Photograph by Frank Vincentz

 

 

15. Notre Dame Cathedral – Paris, France

Notre-Dame_gargoyles-paris-france

Photograph by Krzysztof Mizera

 

 

16. Reims Cathedral – Reims, France

Gargoyle-reims-cathedral-france

Photograph by Ad Meskens

 

 

17. University of Washington – Seattle, Washington

Academic Gargoyle

 

 

18. University of Sydney – Sydney, Australia

Gargoyle baby

 

 

19. Château d’Amboise – Amboise, France

Gargoyle_at_Chateau_dAmboise

Photograph by Ben Aveling

 

 

20. Alcobaça Monastery – Alcobaça, Portugal

Monastery_of_Alcobaca_gargoyle_portugal

Photograph by Júlio Reis

 

 

21. Washington National Cathedral – Washington D.C., USA

washington national cathedral gargoyle 40 Gargoyles and Grotesques Around the World

 

 

22. Princeton University – New Jersey, USA

Bird_Gargoyle_Princeton_University

Photograph by David Goehring

 

 

23. Winchester Cathedral – Winchester, England

Winchester_Cathedral_Gargoyle

Photograph by Tony Hisgett

 

 

24. Biltmore Estate – North Carolina, USA

Gargoyle Gutter

 

 

25. Nidaros Cathedral – Trondheim, Norway

Gargoyle

Photograph by Endre Opsal on Flickr

 

 

26. Cathedral of Santa Eulalia – Barcelona, Spain

Gargoyle on Cathedral of Santa Eulalia Barcelona Spain

Photograph by Bernard Gagnon

 

 

27. Palma Cathedral – Palam, Mallorca, Spain

Palma_de_Mallorca_Llotja_gargoyle

Photograph by Singdrossel

 

 

28. Magdalen College – Oxford, England

Gargoyles Magdalen College Oxford England

Photograph by Chris Creagh

 

 

29. Zagreb Cathedral – Zagreb, Croatia

zagreb catheral gargoyle croatia

Photograph by Bizutage

 

 

30. Washington National Cathedral – Washington D.C., USA

Gargoyle - Frog

 

 

31. Hospital de Sant Pau – Barcelona, Spain

Gargoyle of Hospital de Sant Pau Barcelona

Photograph by Selbymay

 

 

32. Westminster Abbey – London, England

Gargoyle

 

 

33. Château d’Amboise – Amboise, France

Gargoyle_at_Chateau_dAmboise_france

Photograph by Ben Aveling

 

 

34. Palau de la Generalitat de Catalunya – Barcelona, Spain

gargoyle Palau_de_la_Generalitat_barcelona spain

Photograph by Bernard Gagnon

 

 

35. St Mary’s Cathedral – Edinburgh, Scotland

Gargoyles

 

 

36. Notre Dame Cathedral – Paris, France

Admire

 

 

37. Notre Dame de l’Épine – Marne, France

Notre_Dame_de_L'Épine_gargoyle

Photograph by Mattana

 

 

38. Plummer Building – Rochester, Minnesota

gargoyle

 

 

39. Cheshire, England

gargoyle close up 40 Gargoyles and Grotesques Around the World

 

 

40. Notre Dame Cathedral – Paris, France

Gargoyles_of_Notre_Dame_

Photograph by Roger Wollstadt

 

 

 

 

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