Notre Dame de Paris - Gargoyles and Chimeras on Waymarking.com

Gargoyle comes from a Latin word, meaning gullet or drain (Think of the English word "gargle"). That's what the strange looking creatures are, they're drainpipes. Each grotesque figure has a passageway inside that carries rainwater from the roof and out through the gargoyle's mouth. From the top of the cathedral's towers the gargoyles have a magnificent view of the city.

The Notre Dame in fact replaced a Roman Catholic Church, the Cathedral of St. Etienne, founded in 528 who occupied the same site. Some have claimed that there were actually two churches standing on the site, one dedicated to the Virgin, and the other dedicated to St. Stephen. Notre Dame is an old Catholic cathedral that stands on the Cite Island in the Seine River located in the center of Paris. This cathedral is considered a Gothic perfection and is dedicated to the Virgin Mary. "Notre Dame" is the way the French say "Our Lady." The building for this project began in 1163 during the reign of Louis VII. Pope Alexander III had the honor of laying the foundation stone. On completion of the choir in 1183 work was begun on the nave and completed about 1200.

Through the years many transformations have taken place such as the building of the towers, and the transept crossings. The interior of the great cathedral was transformed in the mid-13th century. Kings and Queens were once crowned in the magnificent temple and in the late 1700's, during the French Revolution many treasures of the cathedral were destroyed or looted. The great bells managed to escape from being melted down and the inside of the church was used as a storehouse for food and other items.

After the Revolution passed the great church of Notre Dame needed much repair work done and a large restoration program was begun including the construction of the spire. In 1871, the cathedral was nearly burned by the Communards but it managed to survive. During the famed life span of Notre Dame, it has been the site of numerous official ceremonies including The Crown of Thorns placed in the cathedral in 1239 by St. Louis. The crowning of Henri VI of England, the crowning of Mary Stuart, Queen of France and the Emperor Napoleon when he seized the crown for himself and then for his Empress Josephine.

Water spout is used: yes Condition: Deeply Weathered

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