Gargoyle Statues: The Story Behind the Evil & what they are
Gargoyle Statues
Gothic architecture has a prominent figure that actually has a functional aspect as well as a creepy aesthetic. This figure is called a gargoyle and these statues are important in pop culture as well as the gothic décor style. In this article you will get to see some of the scariest, coolest, and oldest gargoyles around. Not only this, but you will find actual gargoyle statues that you can buy for yourself in order to add this little bit of mystery and creepiness into your life. Sit back and get ready to find the most interesting statues added to buildings.
What are gargoyle statues? & Do Gargoyles have a purpose?
Gargoyle statues have been around for hundreds of years. These statues have been used in order to keep the rainwater runoff out away from the bricks that make up the walls of the building. This has been done in order to limit the amount of mortar that is swept away over time. The gargoyles either funnel water out away from the walls or provide a structure for the water to naturally flow over and fall out away from the walls themselves.
These statues also serve the purpose of scaring people under them into following the church more readily. This is called piety, and is yet another type of function that the gargoyles and grotesques have been used for over their hundreds of years of history.
How old are gargoyle statues?
Understanding gargoyles means understanding the history behind them and how old they are as well. The first prominently used gargoyle statues made in the more modern sense of the terminology was in the early 1200’s. This places these statues at well over 800 years old, and places them firmly within the old and historic subject of the weird and wonderful topics that we visit here in this blog.
What is the difference between grotesques and gargoyles?
The difference between these two types of statues meant to sit atop a gothic style structure is its ability to spit rainwater from its mouth.
If the statue is able to spew the rainwater out of its mouth and redirect it out away from the building, it is classified as a true gargoyle.
If, however, the statue is not able to spit any water out of its mouth in a functional fashion, it is considered as a grotesque instead of a gargoyle.
What is the meaning of gargoyles? & What does gargoyle mean?
Gargoyle stems from the French terminology for gargling and speaking of the throat. This makes perfect sense due to the functionality and reasoning for using the statues in the first place. These statues are meant to spit water out away from the building, and thus naming them after the French word for gargling is an obvious choice.
Not only this, but there is a story of a sea monster from France that was said to have destroyed many ships. This sea creature killed a great deal of men and demolished ships, eating them while and swallowing them down, so much that it became a drastic situation for the nation. Not only did this monster swallow the ships, but it also spit out loads of water from its mouth onto the land and flooded many villages including houses and people. A man promised to kill the sea dragon if a church was built, and so it was. This man was a priest of the Catholic church. Once the church was built, the man defeated and killed the sea creature. The head of the beast was removed, but it did not wither away like the body had. The people of the town that the church was built took the water dragons head and placed it upon the wall to the town itself. This is where the, apparently never decaying, head stayed for years to come. So goes the tale of Gargouille the French sea monster, a 1,500 year old story.
What do Gargoyles protect you from?
Gargoyles are also said to protect people from evil spirits and ward off enemies of the spiritual variety. Not only do gargoyles do this, but grotesques fight off these evil spirits as well.
If you want to read more about this type of art and aesthetic there are some more articles here that you can check out too.
Background on these statues:
This form of architecture finds itself within the gothic sector and is meant to do much more than just serve as a functional tool. It also is meant to be used as a piece of art that is placed high on a building to draw attention of passersby into looking up the structure. Grotesque statues and gargoyles are a staple in the gothic structures of the world, and they certainly draw attention as well as wonderment. These creepy statues are usually goblins, dragons, humanoids, and the like.
Catholic churches are the basis for the popularity increase in these statues, as in the early 13th century they were starting to be used prominently in church architecture. Being that many of the villagers and such could not read during this time, it was important to use imagery and depictions to further the messages and meanings along to the average person. The horror that ensued was the grotesques and gargoyle statues.
Current times & Future of these Statues:
These mysterious and creepy sculptures are still being made to this day. Often less for the functional use that they have been used for in years past, these statues are still being made and used for mainly aesthetic purposes. The change comes in the form of who and what these statues are depicting in their imagery. Now-a-days the statues show eviler businessmen or pop culture figures, whereas hundreds of years ago they would only be dragons and goblins and the like.
Recap & Summary
You got to see some of the weirdest looking gargoyles and grotesques from around the world. Not only did you get to see pictures of the creepy and mysterious pieces of art from well over half a century, but you got to learn why we call them what we call them. You know what these statues have been made for and the purpose they served for hundreds of years. You also know that they are attached to superstitious beliefs stemming from the Catholic church and stories of monsters.
These statues are a staple in the gothic architecture genre and are certainly creepy to say the least.
Thank you for taking the time out of your day to read this article! : )