No matter their shape, most gargoyles have holes in their mouths where the water exits. The most popular gargoyles are usually the strange monsters and hybrid creatures, but gargoyles can also be ordinary people and animals. However, the tradition of carving drain spouts in the shape of animal heads or bodies is ancient – far older than this name and the Middle Ages. This function is how gargoyles get their name, since the word “gargoyle” comes from the Latin gargula (throat) and the French gargouille (gurgle). The gargoyles stick out from the sides of buildings, so the water lands away from the body of the building. Water drains off the roof, through the gutters, into the gargoyles, and out holes in their fronts.

Glamorous, right? It might be difficult to believe, but gargoyles are simply decorated ends to buildings’ gutter systems. Photo by Daniel Gottlieb via Flickr (CC BY 2.0).

Gargoyles are basically fancy gutters A gargoyle on the façade of St. Whether you’re a long-time gargoyle lover or have only just discovered them, you’ll enjoy the following five facts about these curious creatures. They may be comical, cute, or scary, but they’re never dull. Medieval gargoyles are often quirky looking, which is a huge part of their charm and appeal. Gargoyles are most commonly associated with medieval European churches, where they are plentiful, but they also appear on all sorts of other buildings around the world and throughout time. In case any of you don’t know, a gargoyle is a carved human, animal, or monster figure on the outside of a building, and it has a very specific function that you’ll learn about below. Everybody loves gargoyles! I used to think I was alone in this, but I’ve come to learn that’s not at all true.

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