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What is a Gargoyle?

Gargoyle is most often applied to medieval works, but throughout the ages it was adapted as, " a means of water diversion". In ancient architecture, gargoyles typically took the form of a lion's head. Similar lion-mouthed water spouts were also seen on Greek temples. Many medieval cathedrals included gargoyles. The most famous are those of Notre Dame de Paris. Although most have grotesque features, the term gargoyle has come to include all types of images. Some gargoyles were depicted as monks, or combinations of real animals and people, many of which were humorous. Unusual animal mixtures, or chimeras, did not act as rain spouts and are more properly called grotesques. They serve more as ornamentation, but are now synonymous with gargoyles.