gargoyles

Gargoyles are carved architectural features typically integrated into the roofs or upper walls of buildings, most famously in medieval Gothic architecture. Their primary purpose is functional: they act as waterspouts that channel rainwater away from the masonry to prevent erosion and water damage. A gargoyle generally projects from a wall or parapet and ends in a throat-like opening through which water exits, often directed away from the structure. The term gargoyle derives from Old French gargouille, meaning throat or gullet, reflecting its function.

Although commonly grouped with grotesques, gargoyles differ in purpose. A grotesque is a decorative sculpture that may be purely ornamental and does not function as a drain. The term gargoyle historically refers specifically to figures that serve as water spouts, while grotesques may be stylized creatures or human forms carved for visual effect.

Gargoyles first appeared in medieval Europe, with Gothic builders incorporating them from roughly the 12th century onward. They reached a high point in French cathedrals such as Notre-Dame de Paris, but variations appear across Western Europe. Carvings range from stylized beasts and griffins to human heads, and some were added or repurposed in later centuries.

Inside, a channel or sump carries water from the roof to the mouth of the gargoyle, where it is expelled away from the walls. While most gargoyles are rain spouts, some later examples were installed primarily for decorative effect. Their forms often carried symbolic or mythological associations and contributed to the dramatic Gothic skyline.

In modern times gargoyles are emblematic of Gothic architecture and revived in the 19th-century Gothic Revival. They appear in literature, film, and popular culture, sometimes as sentient beings or guardians in folklore and adaptations, distinct from the functional architectural feature that inspired their name.