Gargoyle - what is this mythical creature? Stone monsters are gargoyles.
They are scary, but sometimes funny, touching and even frankly shameless, most often they can be found in Western Europe, where they decorate the cornices of ancient cathedrals in great variety and variety. They are gargoyles and chimeras - bizarre creatures whose presence in a holy place seems strange and inappropriate. But this is only at first glance. What an important mission the gargoyles performed, what they are and how they differ from chimeras - we will talk about this later.
The Legend of the Gargoyle
An ancient legend says that a long time ago in a swamp, not far from Rouen, there lived a huge and terrible dragon. He did not allow the inhabitants of the city to live peacefully, sleep peacefully and even trade peacefully, as he often attacked merchant ships that came to Rouen along the Seine. Moreover, in the arsenal of the dragon were very different ways intimidation, sometimes, according to his mood, he breathed fire, and sometimes seething streams of water burst out of his mouth. To prevent the monster from destroying the city completely, the locals brought him annual human sacrifices. By the way, the dragon was female, and her name was Gargoyle.
The very French word "Gargouille" comes from the Latin term for throat or pharynx and is very consonant with the sound of bubbling water. Apparently, this name was given to the dragon precisely because of his habit of often acting as a water cannon. Legends say that thanks to this skill, the Gargoyle masterly sank rather large ships and raised such a storm on the river that huge waves flooded city streets and flooded many buildings.
However, the time has come, and the monster found control in the person of Saint Roman of Rouen, who held the local episcopal see. By the way, Roman effectively fought not only with dragons, but also with pagans, for which he was subsequently canonized.
Before going to pacify the monster, Roman looked for an assistant for a long time. As a result, only a criminal sentenced to death agreed to help the bishop. The fight with the dragon seemed to him the best way out than a block. Saint Roman decided to use his assistant as bait, and when the Gargoyle climbed out of her cave to feast on human flesh, the bishop deprived the monster of his will with a cross and prayers, and she, like a tame one, lay down at his feet.
Then the story developed less touchingly. Despite the docility of the dragon, the inhabitants of Rouen decided to burn it, and they almost succeeded. However, they did not take into account that the Gargoyle's throat and head, for obvious reasons, turned out to be non-combustible, and it was not possible to destroy them in this way. It was decided to place the remains of the unfortunate monster on public display, as a symbol of the victory of the holy Church over the forces of evil, and for this purpose the cornice of the local cathedral was best suited.
Over time, people got used to such an exotic decoration of the temple, moreover, residents of neighboring cities began to envy Rouen and wished to have the same "decoration" on their cathedrals. But since all the dragon population in Europe had already been exterminated by that time, the real trophies had to be replaced with stone ones.
Since the 11th century, statues of gargoyles (the name has become a household name) have been in abundance on many religious buildings in Europe. Mindful of the monster's ability to spew water, architects began to use its stone counterparts as gutters. That is why at many cathedrals there are whole companies of gargoyles, since one drain for a huge building was clearly not enough. Only in the century before last, people pardoned their stone "campaigners" and freed them from work, providing the function of drainage of water to ordinary drainpipes.
What are the gargoyles
Gargoyles on temples do not always depict a dragon; many look like very real animals or birds. All of them not only serve as a drain, but also carry a deep symbolic meaning, including, they personify some of the seven deadly sins.
Lions- the only felines that can be found in the form of a gargoyle. Cats in the Middle Ages were considered witchcraft animals, therefore they were not liked, and the lion, always considered a symbol of pride and courage, according to the architects, was supposed to warn parishioners about the danger of falling into the mortal sin of pride.
Dogs- they, unlike cats in the Middle Ages, were loved, as they were considered a symbol of loyalty and devotion. But their appearance in the form of a gargoyle made people remember another mortal sin - greed. It's no secret that hungry dogs often steal food, and in the Middle Ages, when every piece was counted, it was considered the intrigues of the devil.
Wolf- although they were afraid of wolves, they were respected for their ability to live in a big pack and unconditionally obey the leader. By the way, the priests themselves were often compared with the "leaders of the pack", since they were called to unite parishioners around themselves, to jointly resist evil and the temptations of Satan.
Eagle- eagles were considered the only creatures, besides knights, who could independently defeat the dragon. In addition, according to legend, they could heal themselves simply by looking at the sun.
Snake- a symbol of original sin. The personification of the struggle between good and evil. The serpent was considered immortal, and this once again proved that the confrontation between the devil and the divine would be eternal. Of the deadly sins, envy was associated with the serpent.
Goats and rams- were considered a symbol of lust, also one of the seven deadly sins. In addition, Satan himself was often depicted with goat legs.
Monkey- for a strange and incomprehensible reason, personified laziness. Perhaps such a misconception arose among the Europeans from the fact that it was as difficult to meet a live monkey in the forests of the Old World as it was a surviving dragon. Had to trust the rumors, and they could be very far from the truth.
Chimeras
V Ancient Greece an animal with the body of a goat, the head of a lion, and the tail of a dragon was called a chimera. Hesiod in his writings described another type of monster, according to his version, she had as many as three heads: a lion, a goat and a rooster. Medieval chimeras were even more bizarre than ancient ones and could combine the features of a wide variety of animals, only the principle of multi-composition remained the same.
Chimeras appeared on cathedral cornices much later than gargoyles, and unlike the latter, they were completely useless. As a rule, they served as just a grotesque decoration, symbolizing the power of the devil, which can give rise to terrible and strange creatures. By the way, some chimeras could have anthropomorphic features. Among humanoid chimeras, there are both frankly creepy and frankly comical characters.
Of course, such "decorations" could not exist for a long time next to people without becoming the heroes of numerous legends. Over time, chimeras began to be attributed magical properties, it was rumored that every night the creepy creatures come to life, and if the temple was in danger, they could come to life during the day, in order to mercilessly deal with the enemy.
Gargoyles of Notre Dame
The most famous gargoyles and chimeras live on the cornices of Notre Dame de Paris. You can see them from below only by going close to the wall of the cathedral and lifting your head up.
Legends say that in the depiction of gargoyles, Notre Dame was given absolute freedom creativity. There were some curiosities, for example, one master did not love his mother-in-law so much that he captured her in the form of a gargoyle, not realizing that thereby immortalized her image over the centuries.
By the way, all the Middle Ages, the facade of the main cathedral in Paris was decorated only with gargoyles. The gallery of the famous chimeras was added much later, only in the 19th century. Then a large-scale restoration was carried out in the cathedral, the building was repaired after the destruction caused to it by the events of the Great French Revolution. Now the Chimera Gallery is located right at the base of the towers, at a height of 46 meters, and to get there, you need to climb almost 400 steps of a steep staircase.
True, there is a version that chimeras at the cathedral existed before, they were installed here in the XIV century, after the defeat of the Knights Templar and the execution of its great master Jacques de Molay. At the same time, all chimeras had goat heads, which depicted Baphomet, a strange creature, in whose worship the Templars were accused.
Many of Notre Dame's chimeras have their own stories and names. For example, the most famous of them is called Strix. Her image has long become a textbook, and it is her that most people first of all represent when they hear the word "chimera". According to legend, this strange brooding creature only looks like stone, and at night it spreads its wings and soars around the cathedral. Parisians still believe that Strix can kidnap a baby who is carelessly left unattended, so mothers in the vicinity of Notre Dame should always be on their guard.
Another famous chimera of Notre Dame Cathedral is the baby Dedo. Tradition says that once a nun from a provincial monastery visited the temple. Having looked at the terrible gargoyles and no less fearful chimeras, she decided to add a more charming character to their company. The nun herself carved out of the stone a pretty figure with the body of a child and the muzzle of an incomprehensible animal. She named her creation Dedo and secretly installed it among the other chimeras of the cathedral.
Residents of paris for a long time did not suspect that another inhabitant had appeared in the gallery of chimeras. Only chance helped to declassify the baby Dedo. The son of one of the cathedral employees was playing on the roof and nearly fell down. Falling, the boy managed to grab onto one of the stone chimeras and only thanks to this escaped imminent death. The boy's involuntary savior turned out to be baby Dedo. Since then, the good chimera has enjoyed great love from the inhabitants of Paris, who are sure that Dedo is able to fulfill any desire, if you ask him about it from the heart.
Everyone who has seen the chimeras of Notre Dame with their own eyes claims that these creepy creatures are damn charming. They are so expressive that taking pictures with them is completely useless, a living person next to them seems like a soulless doll.
Chimeras today
The image of chimeras has become so popular that today they are found not only in churches, and even not only in Europe. There are chimeras in Tokyo, Seoul, New York and Philadelphia. There are chimeras in Russia, for example, on the building of the conservatory in Saratov.
Gargoyles and chimeras were created to terrify people, but as a result they bewitch and enchant. They should be feared, and people go to them to make wishes. Apparently, these strange creatures do have a certain magic power, the nature of which we are never destined to unravel.
All sorts of fantastic sculptural images that adorn the facades of majestic cathedrals occupy a special place in historical European architecture. Stone guards look at the changing face of the city, and it seems that they know some secret. Why did these creatures become the objects of inspiration for sculptors and architects? Not everyone knows, but a gargoyle is not just a grotesque fruit creative imagination, but a real symbol of culture, which has deep historical roots.
Legendary monster from the Seine
Medieval France was distinguished by an abundance of stories about monsters that lived in a particular area. The so-called local mythology has had a serious impact on culture and art, and the legend of the gigantic snake from the lower reaches of the Seine is considered one of the key ones.
In the 7th century, ships heading upward in many suffered disasters, allegedly due to the attacks of a monster called La Gargouille. The dragon, similar to a huge snake, drowned ships, casting jets of water on them, luring them into whirlpools. Some sources report that the gargoyle is also a fire-breathing snake. Saint Roman, who was at that time the bishop of the city of Rouen, heeded the pleas of the people and went to tame the monster.
The inhabitants, overwhelmed by fear, could not find the strength to help the priest, only a criminal condemned to death volunteered and agreed to become a bait. However, the bishop, armed only with the holy cross and prayers, pacified the dragon. Subsequently, the inhabitants burned the monster at the stake, it was not possible to burn only the head and throat. This part was strengthened for the edification of evil spirits.
Etymology of the name and correct spelling
Numerous water dragons in France bore similar names, in which, one way or another, the original word gorge (pharynx) or garg (from the verb gargarizare) was played on. Several sources trace the origin from the Greek "gorgon". In any case, a gargoyle is a kind of monster with a greedy throat, ready to devour unwary sailors or boatmen, and together with water.
In Russian, they write both "gargoyle" and "gargoyle" or "gargoyle". The semantic division is known to few, and it is rather vague. In most cases, the first option refers to mythological monsters of all kinds of configurations, and the second and third options are in the form of grotesque sculptural designs of weirs.
Gargoyle in architecture
The utilitarian purpose of the stone monster on the rooftops of ancient cathedrals is actually quite far from religion. This is an artistic element designed to decorate and partly disguise a complex system of cascading weirs. Basically, a gargoyle is a downspout that directs precipitation to a gutter below, which will carry water into the next pipe.
If, at the same time, the cathedral is just sticking out with protruding pipes, its appearance can hardly be considered a work of architectural art. Gargoyles are more than just sculptures and a successful attempt to camouflage something as mundane and practical as a gutter. It is also a decoration that carries a distinct ritual meaning, awakening awe in the parishioners.
Sculptures of monsters
The most interesting thing about gargoyles is their diversity, which has long gone beyond the narrow zoological image of a snake-like dragon. The majestic buildings are decorated with equally impressive fantastic statues, among which you can see not only dragons, but also unknown monsters, strange people, characters of legends and tales, and some of them even had prototypes that actually lived.
The most famous gargoyle, a photo of which has been widely circulated on the Internet, is actually a chimera. This is not a drain, but one of the characters of the so-called gallery of chimeras on the famous cathedral Notre dame de paris... This is the Owl, which is sometimes called the Thinker due to its characteristic brooding posture.
Gargoyles and chimeras are often confused in the minds of people, and they are mistakenly attributed to the same type of monster. Over time, the boundaries between species have really blurred, and now these concepts are even used as synonyms, which in the academic sense, of course, is wrong.
Gargoyles metamorphoses
Initially, gargoyles were exclusively called gigantic dragon snakes, which migrated from mythology into the category architectural elements... But the gutters were also shaped by other images: grotesque characters depicting sinners and devils in hell, lions and other animals. By by and large, a gargoyle can be considered any gutter design object - from a frog to a monk.
Chimera is an alien from Greek mythology, so the monster was called, whose body consisted of parts of a lion, a goat and a snake. The head, paws and torso are lion's, from there a goat's neck with a horned head grows, and instead of a tail - a snake, which, according to various sources, strikes with poison or breathes flame.
Over time, chimeras "acquired" parts of other animals: wings bat, monkey face, hair or scales at the discretion of the author. A chimera is something that cannot exist, is illogical and monstrous. Unsurprisingly, the gargoyle falls into the same category. Only a few centuries have passed, and the names have imperceptibly merged.
Modern gargoyles
It is interesting that the very word "gargoyle" has not disappeared in the mists of time. They make films and animated films about them, write books, use them as supporting characters, and also as game units in numerous computer games... The gargoyle, a photo of which previously could only be seen as a reference to Notre-Dame de Paris, is an artistic image beloved by many architects.
In Kiev, there is a rather famous House with Chimeras, decorated with images of all kinds of monsters. Many sculptural monsters nest in St. Petersburg, for example, in Kuznechny Lane.
Gargoyles are attributed to a quarrelsome grumpy character, this word can be used as an insult or a derisive nickname for a woman with character. In the TV series "Interns", Dr. Bykov calls the chief doctor of the clinic this way
Nowadays, gargoyles are most often presented as some kind of demons with leathery wings, it is in this form that they appear in computer games and films. They are also credited with the ability to turn into stone and come to life again. However, do not forget that it all started with a gigantic snake supposedly living in the lower reaches of the Seine River.
Gargoyles are very disgusting, scary and disgusting creatures.
If you pay attention, you can see them in many places, hanging over our heads.
1. Gargoyle is a grotesque figure carved from stone, which was created to drain water from the roofs and side facades of large buildings.
2. Usually we associate them with medieval times (thanks to one well-known hunchback), but they appeared much earlier. These are not just scary statues. Many gargoyles are shaped like certain animals, and this is no coincidence.
3. Leo.
The lion and lioness were the favorite images of the creators of the gargoyles. For example, at the Cathedral of Dornoch in Scotland there is such a cute lioness grinning at the passers-by below. The lion was one of the most popular non-European animals used during the Middle Ages to decorate churches and cathedrals. Later they became popular in the form of gargoyles (there are a lot of them in Pompeii), and they symbolized the sun - their golden mane represented the sun crown of our life.
4. However, in the Middle Ages, the builders of cathedrals used the lion as a symbol of pride, which, of course, was one of the seven deadly sins, and therefore it was worth avoiding. This lion, for example, looks pretty proud. He is at one of the colleges in France. In addition to lions, other types of felines were practically not used in the creation of gargoyles. Cats were a symbol of witchcraft, so they were avoided.
5. Dog. This gargoyle is located on the tower of Philip IV the Fair in the palace in Dijon, again in France.
Dogs have always been very popular and rarely looked at as just pets. They guarded houses at night, so they were considered smart and devoted. On the one hand, it can be assumed that, as gargoyles, the statues of the dogs were supposed to guard the buildings, but their presence on the roofs is due to another reason. Dogs are always hungry, and they often stole food from people, so in those days their figures were often placed on cathedrals and churches so that everyone could see that even such a devoted animal as a dog could succumb to the temptations of the devil and become a victim of greed.
6. Wolf.
Although wolves were also considered greedy, they were treated with some respect. these animals have always worked together. It was then that the expression "leader of the pack" was born. Wolves were also associated with priests who were supposed to protect people from the devil - thus, the wolf even managed to be in the image of the protector of the lambs of God. Gargoyles on the roofs also often gathered in a "flock", because the architects wanted to divert rainwater to different sides... During a downpour, one gargoyle would not have been enough. The gargoyles were made elongated so that the water would drain as far away from the wall as possible.
7. Eagle. An eagle-shaped gargoyle at St. Rumbold's Cathedral in Mechelen, Belgium.
Eagles were the defenders of buildings, in particular from dragons, for, as the medieval people believed, eagles were the only creatures capable of defeating a winged serpent. It was said that they can heal themselves by looking directly at the sun, which has long been the personification of deity.
8. Serpent. This serpent on a building in Krakow, Poland, warns people of the sins of the flesh.
The snake is associated with original sin, and therefore this stone beast can be found in almost all cathedrals in Europe. Since the days of Adam and Eve, the serpent has been a symbol of the constant struggle between good and evil. Among the seven deadly sins, the serpent represents envy. They were also considered incalculable, which meant that the fight against sins would go on forever.
9. Sheep or goat. This gargoyle is found at the Cathedral in Barcelona.
Like most of the animals shown here, the goat also had a dual nature in the eyes of medieval Christians. On the one hand, they were considered divine, because they knew how to find food even among steep rocks and survive in the most difficult situations... On the other hand, they were considered evil creatures and a symbol of lust - another of the seven deadly sins. And of course - what animal is usually associated with Satan?
10. Monkey.
Our closest relatives were always looked at as what would happen to us if something went wrong in nature. However, they were often considered stupid and lazy. That is why they personified another deadly sin - laziness. This gargoyle in the form of a monkey is located in Paris, which is not surprising, because the very word "gargoyle" originated in French... Once the word "Gargouille" meant the word "throat", and the word itself came from Latin.
11. Other languages were more accurate. In Italian, the gargoyle is called "grónda sporgente", which literally means "protruding chute." V German they are called "Wasserspeier" - "spitters of water", and the Dutch went even further and nicknamed the gargoyles "waterspuwer" - "spewing water".
12. And by the way, from this Dutch word "waterspuwer" in English language came the verb "to spew" (to spew). However, if you do not take into account the "animal" personifications of gargoyles, then all of them were often considered chimeras.
13. This chimera is located at York Minster in England, which is generally famous for these very chimeras.
And although these chimeras no longer scare us, the medieval inhabitants were rather superstitious and uneducated, and they considered them terrible creatures. A chimera is born when two parts of different bodies merge to create a completely new creature, such as a griffin (or a mermaid, whose figure is still popular in creating fountains).
14. At the Milan Cathedral there is a rather interesting set of chimeras - there Renaissance thinkers stand next to these strange creatures from the imagination of madmen. These chimeras on the rooftops of cathedrals and other buildings represented those who underestimate the power of the devil. Although the devil cannot create life, he can mix different shapes life to get a new one - that is, a chimera.
15. Some of the most famous gargoyles in the world can be found at Notre Dame Cathedral.
16. Even the studio "Disney" could not ignore these interesting creatures.
17. The Legend of the Gargoyle. The French had a legend about one of their saints - Romaine. In the 17th century he was made bishop and had to fight a creature called Gargullius. It was a dragon-like creature with wings, a long neck, and the ability to spew fire from its mouth.
18. Having conquered the dragon, Romaine could not destroy his head, tk. she was tempered by fire from her own mouth. Then Romaine placed her on the walls of the cathedral so that she scared away the evil forces. Well, this gargoyle in the photo is located in the Cathedral Basilica of Van Saint-Jan.
19. On the walls of the Cathedral of St. Vitus in Prague there are several rather scary gargoyles, only these are no longer animals and not even chimeras. These are people. The moment of damnation is frozen in time for hundreds of medieval souls across Europe.
20. Opening their mouths, they scream through the ages, constantly reminding you that you need to be able to resist the devil, otherwise it can happen to you! Probably the creepiest gargoyles are the ones that remind us of ourselves.
21. This terrible example of the human form in the depiction of gargoyles is also found at the Cathedral of St. Vitus in Prague. Moreover, the pipe through which water flows down so ominously sticks out of the mouth that it seems that it is just an inhumanly long tongue.
22. This gargoyle is at the Cathedral in Nottingham. She reminds all generations not to try to bite your nails. Anyone who has read Chaucer will surely be startled when meeting with the vulgar emotionality of the Middle Ages.
23. Gargoyle in Valencia, Spain, which seems to remind you that there is no need to doubt that the devil can take you where and when he wants, if you do not watch your life.
24. Again, in Spain - the unfortunate woman at the Cathedral of Lona in Valencia is captured in a moment of agony.
25. Well, this is a modern gargoyle. And who would you think could have done such a miracle? Well, of course, the Germans. They take the meaning of the word "gargoyle" very literally - pouring water.
This serpent on a building in Krakow, Poland, warns people of the sins of the flesh.
The legend of the Gargoyle appears on the okyu of the 7th century AD. on the territory of modern France. There are several different options myth, but something like this emerges.
In the vicinity of the city of Rouen, in a den in the swamps on the banks of the Seine, a huge dragon (serpent) lived. The dragon attacked ships sailing along the Seine and terrorized local residents. From the dragon's mouth, either fire fell on everything and everyone around, or even the most powerful streams of water. The people of Rouen made sacrifices to a fierce beast every year. The dragon's name was La Gargouille (feminine). The gargoyle committed its many atrocities until a knight in shining armor, Saint Roman, pacified her.
Saint Roman was the real bishop of Rouen, he zealously fought against paganism, lived until about 640, during the time of the king of the Franks and Burgundians Dagobert I / Dagobert I (born around 608 - died 639). Roman's miracle about the gargoyle (serpent) is one of the exploits of the saint.
Although, strange he was a saint, if you look at it with a fresh eye ...
He pacified the Gargoyle in this way:
Saint Roman used the criminal as bait, sending him to the monster's lair. The gargoyle, sensing the human spirit, left its cave to profit from the guest. However, Saint Roman, with the help of prayers and the holy cross, deprived the dragon of his will. The gargoyle obediently lay down at the saint's feet.
The bishop led the defeated beast into the city, and what do you think? Sent to a local zoo? But no. The joyful inhabitants of Rouen immediately built a huge bonfire and roasted the animal ... :(
The body and tail of the gargoyle burned out, but the fire could not destroy its throat. The pharynx proved to be heat-resistant due to the regular eruption of fire during previously committed disgraces. Then the wise Rouen decided to save the head of the gargoyle for the edification of other dragons. Or maybe it was the order of the bishop - now you can't figure it out. Gargoyles remnants - a head with a throat was attached to the Rouen cathedral in order to clearly show the evil spirits what happens to those who harm people ...
There is a rather interesting set of chimeras at the Milan Cathedral - there, Renaissance thinkers stand next to these strange creatures from the imagination of madmen. These chimeras on the rooftops of cathedrals and other buildings represented those who underestimate the power of the devil. Although the devil cannot create life, he can mix different life forms to get a new one - that is, a chimera. ()
It looked something like this, probably ... :)
or like this:
From the 11th century, images of terrible gargoyles began to be carved from stone on the outer walls of Romanesque and Gothic buildings. Whether the sculptures of gargoyles were made before is not known, since before that a tree was used for such purposes, which had no chance to survive until the time of scientific description.
This gargoyle in the photo is located in the Cathedral Basilica of Van Saint-Jan.
On the walls of the Cathedral of St. Vitus in Prague there are several rather scary gargoyles, only these are no longer animals and not even chimeras. These are people. The moment of damnation is frozen in time for hundreds of medieval souls across Europe.
Opening their mouths, they scream through the centuries, constantly reminding you that you need to be able to resist the devil, otherwise it can happen to you! Perhaps the creepiest gargoyles are the ones that remind us of ourselves.
This terrifying example of the human form in the depiction of gargoyles is also found at St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague. Moreover, the pipe through which water flows down so ominously sticks out of the mouth that it seems that it is just an inhumanly long tongue. (With)
The most famous gargoyles of all times and peoples live at Notre Dame Cathedral, kanesh, even the Walt Disney studio could not pass them .. :)
As I already mentioned, usually the gargoyles on the facades of Gothic temples are located so that rainwater from the rooftops through their mouths.
But one of the gargoyles of Freiburg Münster, on the contrary, is holding hands and feet against the wall, and water pours out through its anus.
According to urban legend, during the construction of this cathedral, the city council raised the requirements for bricklayers without increasing wages. The masons did the job, but placed this defecating sculpture in front of the windows of the city hall.
A trifle, as they say, but nice ...)
..
The gargoyle is the fruit of medieval mythology. The word "gargoyle" comes from the old French gargouille- pharynx, and its sound imitates the gurgling sound that occurs when gargling. The first gargoyles as far back as the XII-XV centuries. installed near gutters, as a guide for water. The useful, the beautiful and the secret were combined. In the 18th and 19th centuries, most of the gargoyles were already replaced by lead drainpipes. Having lost a useful function, gargoyles have become simply an element of the decoration of buildings. Chimeras are another name for gargoyles. They were called so because of the obvious analogy of a similar monster invented in Greece. There chimera the mythical creature with the head of a lion, the body of a goat and a snake's tail was called, but outwardly medieval gargoyles - chimeras have nothing to do with it. Gargoyles sitting on the facades of Catholic cathedrals were presented in two ways. On the one hand, they were like ancient sphinxes as guardian statues, capable of reviving and protecting a temple or a mansion in a moment of danger, on the other hand, when they were placed on temples, it showed that all evil spirits were fleeing from this holy place, since they could not bear the temple purity. Often human sins were embodied in them, from which people are trying to get rid of. Chimeras became, as it were, an illustration for illiterate people of all human passions and those demons that can torment fallen souls. Gargoyles were portrayed in different ways. There was no single standard like the sphinxes. But common features of course attended. For example, they could look like ordinary big cats or dogs, but with special sharp wings like bats, or in the form of some kind of humanoid demon-demon, also with wings. bats, goat horns or snake heads, swan necks or eagle's claws.
The wingedness of gargoyles was one of the mandatory attributes, since they always sat on the roofs or facades of buildings, quite high and could only get to their habitats with the help of their wings. Non-winged gargoyles are much less common, of which there are quite a few. The most famous stone chimeras live of course in France, in a Gothic cathedral Notre Dame de Paris - Notre Dame Cathedral ... Moreover, they are so personified that some even have their own names. Philosopher, Nun, etc. Gargoyles, as an architectural decoration, were taken out of the depths of antiquity by a very famous trend in art like Gothic. It was Catholic churches and cathedrals throughout Europe in the Gothic style that were covered with stone chimeras. Such statues are considered an indispensable attribute. gothic style, which are inherent only to him. Often, gargoyles were used to decorate ordinary mansions and houses. They guarded buildings in the form of a ridge or sat near gutters. Stone monsters most of them were decorated with Catholic cathedrals
