The gargoyles and chimeras watching over Notre-Dame

For all their fearsome appearance, the gargoyles serve a thoroughly practical function. As rainwater runs down the roofs of Notre-Dame de Paris, it must drain away without trickling down the walls, where it could slowly damage the stone. By carrying the water clear of the building, the gargoyles protect the cathedral from the harm that excessive runoff would cause over time.

The distinction is simple but often missed. Gargoyles drain rainwater, channeling it away from the walls. Chimeras, by contrast, are purely decorative, sculpted creatures with no practical role at all. Both populate the heights of Notre-Dame, but only the gargoyles do the quiet work of shielding the masonry from the weather, while the chimeras lend the skyline its fantastical, brooding character.

When you visit the Île de la Cité, or when you stand on the forecourt of Notre-Dame, look up toward the sky and admire these solitary, silent guardians. They have watched over the building for centuries, outlasting human folly, wars, and bad weather alike, and they remain among the most beloved details of the cathedral's exterior.