"Bone and Blood of Paris: The Beast on the Back of Notre Dame"

The mythical beasts on the Notre Dame de Paris are a treasure of Gothic architectural art, combining practical functions with religious symbolism. These mythical beasts are not only architectural masterpieces, but also witnesses of medieval philosophy, religion and 19th-century art movements, showing mankind's eternal exploration of the sacred and the secular, fear and beauty. 😈【Analysis of the stone statue of mythical beast】 Gargoyles: Derived from the French word "gargouille", which originally means "throat" or "drainpipe". These carvings have a practical function as part of a drainage system that directs rainwater from the roof away from the walls, preventing erosion. The shape is usually a strange creature with an open mouth as a water outlet. Chimera: A purely decorative statue with no drainage function. It often appears in the form of a hybrid creature from mythology (such as a griffin or a demon). It was often added during restoration in the 19th century. 📖【History and symbolism】 Medieval origins: When built in the 13th century, the gargoyles had both practical and symbolic meanings, representing "evil tamed by the church" and warning people to stay away from sin. 19th-century restoration: The architect Viollet-le-Duc added a large number of chimeras during the restoration between 1844 and 1864, including the famous "Stryge". This image of a devil with his chin in deep thought became the symbol of Notre Dame de Paris, reflecting the Romantic revival of medieval mysticism. ✨【Examples of famous statues】 Stryge: Located in the North Tower, it symbolizes the "ghost of the night" and its image became widely circulated after being photographed by photographer Charles Mérillon. Griffin: A patron saint beast that is a fusion of an eagle and a lion, symbolizing divine power. Two-Headed Beast and Dragon : Partially inspired by biblical monsters, such as the seven-headed dragon in the Book of Revelation. 🥸【Promotion of literature and culture】 Victor Hugo gave these statues literary life in his 1831 novel The Hunchback of Notre Dame, which personified the building, refocused the public's attention on its artistic value, and indirectly contributed to the restoration movement in the 19th century. Impact of the 2019 fire. Most of the gargoyles and chimeras were preserved because they were located on the facades and towers that did not collapse, but some were removed for restoration (such as the bronze sculptures on the spire). The restoration work currently focuses on traditional craftsmanship and the building has now reopened. Some damaged statues were reproduced using 3D scanning technology to ensure that their original historical appearance was preserved. You can observe the statues up close from the west facade of Notre Dame and the top of the tower (you need to climb to the top). There are also dense carvings above the rose window on the south side. If you look closely, you will find that many statues contain ironic meanings, such as the monk-like monsters, which may allude to the corruption of the medieval church. 💕 Editing is not easy. If you like the travel content we share, please use your lucky hands to follow and like it~