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The Sacre Coeur Basilica and its Stone Gargoyle
by Elizabeth Barchas
Dominating the Paris landscape from the
Montmartre hill, the stunning white Sacre Coeur basilica is a must-see
for any visitor to Paris.
Inside are striking stained glass windows
and a brilliant mosaic, but outside, climbing the dome to find
panoramic views stretching to the city limits, it's easy to stumble
upon whimsical and beautiful architectural touches, like the gargoyle
that looks over the Montmartre village.
The creature carved into the Sacre Coeur
inspires the imagination with its open mouth, as though it's almost
possible to hear it cry. While appreciating its beauty, it's also
useful to appreciate the story of how gargoyles were derived. In the
middle ages, legend has it that a fierce, fiery dragon lived in a cave
on the river Seine and demanded annual sacrifices of maidens and seamen
from the residents of Rouen. Finally, St. Romanus saved the city by
placating the dragon with a cross, and then mounted the creature's head
and neck on a wall, which has served as a template for gargoyles ever
since.
Derived from the French word
“gargouille” — which means throat— gargoyles
were originally used in gothic cathedrals to appeal to illiterate
churchgoers who responded to visual representations of biblical
stories.
In the beginning they served the practical
purpose of directing water away from the building, but by the time the
first stone was laid for the Sacre Coeur in 1875, pipes and gutters
were more common, so gargoyles (or grotesques, as non-water-carrying
carvings are called) remained for artistic, spiritual, and symbolic
reasons.
The gargoyle on the Sacre Coeur is not
particularly extravagant, but its simplicity gives more freedom to the
imagination. Jutting out of the side of the dome, which rises almost
200 meters above sea level, it overlooks the rooftops of Paris and the
bohemian neighborhood of Montmartre, where visitors can meander among
Picasso's studio, Van Gogh's apartment, and the Moulin Rouge within
blocks of the cathedral.
Carved out of Chateau-Landon stone, which
bleaches with age and thus gives the basilica its striking whiteness,
the gargoyle hints at spirituality, history, and legend.
After visiting the Sacre Coeur it's hard to
forget the gorgeous interior of the basilica and the striking views
from the top of the dome. But it's also impossible to forget the
gargoyle, which remains in memory long afterwards with its unique,
simple features and haunting open-mouth cry.
Click here to read Valerie Haynes Perry's feature on the Sacré-Coeur Basilica.
Copyright (c) 2007 - www.paris-hotel-by-district.com CH. All rights reserved.
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