Pop Culture Gargoyles Hidden in Gothic Architecture

Gargoyles are sculptures that serve as downspouts for rain. Grotesques are sculptures that do not have downspouts, but both architectural features have been used to convey traditional stories, religious concepts, or political views. Even after their original meanings were obscured by time, people are fascinated by gargoyles.

Gothic architecture was later revived in the 18th and 19th century in England and the United States. Naturally, gargoyles became one of the stylish signatures of this new Neo Gothic architectural type. But centuries of capricious weather and a lack of care had disfigured the legions of statues that were still silently guarding the old gothic monuments. A large amount of stunning chimeras were actually falling to the ground like a plague rainfall. In order to remedy to this situation, conservation programs were started for some of them, and 20th and 21st century stone carvers were asked to replace as many destroyed gargoyles as possible. If some of them copied meticulously the medieval form of the past, others had another vision of what gargoyles could be.

Modern artists who sign on to recreate missing or damaged gargoyles sometimes use modern iconography to convey old-style symbolism. There are now gargoyles on restored cathedrals that resemble astronauts, movie characters, aliens, robots, and other recognizable pop culture icons. Read about them at Atlas Obscura.

(Image credit: Colin)


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It's hard to believe that someone could survive up there so long and actually made it their home! I felt quite sad watching their belongings being hurled to the ground and bagged up. I wonder what an effort it took to secure each new item and whether the person/ people who lived there were somewhere watching it being destroyed.
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After the Cuban Migration of the '80s, nearly every bridge in South Florida was inhabited. You could look up under every overpass and see mounds of trash and living quarters (the occupants were never around during the day.)

I have noticed in the past few years most all the bridge occupants in South Florida have gone away. I don't know if its stricter enforcement or if they all just found different lodgings, but it's rare to see them now.
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Like most here I initially couldn't see the image, so had a mental image quite different from the actual situation.

That guy needed to be moved on.

I'm all for people being left alone just so long as they do not present a danger to others and themselves.

That amount of crap up on that centre spar where it could fall onto moving vehicles is just dangersous.

If he was not over traffic I'd say let the guy be.
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The missing images are my fault - I forgot to upload them onto Neatorama's image servers before I left for the week (all these posts were scheduled to run while I was gone). Sorry - they should be fixed now.
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