Gargoyle of the Day · Italian

Gargoyle of the Day: Duomo, Milan

In 2012, Milan's Duomo came up with a pretty cool fundraising idea. In order to come up with the necessary funds to support restorations efforts, this massive Gothic cathedral decided to put its 135 gargoyles up for adoption. Donors could pick a gargoyle to contribute to, receiving a little name plaque underneath "their" gargoyle. This article on swide.com… Continue reading Gargoyle of the Day: Duomo, Milan

Gargoyle of the Day

Gargoyle of the Day: St. Vitus, Prague

The rooster is one of early Italian St. Vitus's attributes, so it's quite fitting that a rooster gargoyle can be found on his beautiful Gothic church in Prague. Some people think that this figure depicts an eagle. I disagree, but I can understand how one might come to that conclusion without knowing about the saint's association to the rooster.… Continue reading Gargoyle of the Day: St. Vitus, Prague

Gargoyle of the Day

Gargoyle of the Day: Melrose Abbey, Scotland

I've recently been reading a book about the history of British myths and legends concerning dragons, so it made sense to me that today's gargoyle should be from the United Kingdom. I was looking for some sort of dragon-like gargoyle but fell in love with this bagpipe-playing pig instead. Isn't he charming? I found him via ferrebeekeeper's blog; look there… Continue reading Gargoyle of the Day: Melrose Abbey, Scotland

Gargoyle of the Day

Gargoyle of the Day: St. John’s Cathedral, ‘s-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands

Technically, these little fellows are grotesques rather than true gargoyles, but who cares when they're so charming? Apes, monkeys, and related creatures had rather poor connotations in the Middle Ages, symbolizing a variety of evils and sins including greed and lust, but this pair is depicted with a touching humanity nonetheless.

Medieval Art and Architecture

Basilique Royale de Saint-Denis (WordPress Writing 101 Prompt #17)

 Today’s prompt didn’t particularly interest me or feel like a good fit for this blog, but the additional challenge was to write in a style different from my usual one, which I liked a lot. I like my writing to flow and include lots of description; I never skimp on the words. Therefore, I decided… Continue reading Basilique Royale de Saint-Denis (WordPress Writing 101 Prompt #17)

Gargoyle of the Day

Gargoyle of the Day: St. Giles, High Kirk of Edinburgh

My Facebook friend Sara requested gargoyles of the Scottish Highlands for my next gargoyle of the day. Unfortunately, I haven't had any luck tracking down photos of specifically Highland gargoyles. So many of the gorgeous churches out there are in such a state of ruin that in most cases, whatever gargoyles they may have once had… Continue reading Gargoyle of the Day: St. Giles, High Kirk of Edinburgh

British · Gargoyle of the Day

Gargoyle of the Day: Westminster Abbey, London

I'm quickly becoming obsessed with the gargoyles of Westminster in London. I think they just have such a unique character that sets them apart from the rest. This little guy is more of a grotesque than a true gargoyle, but his charm is exactly the variety that I'm talking about. You can see more of the Westminster gargoyles in this… Continue reading Gargoyle of the Day: Westminster Abbey, London