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NOTRE DAME CHIMERA ENAMEL PINS

Regular price $12.00

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Gargoyle or Chimera? 

Gargoyles are carved drain spouts designed to carry rainwater away from a building to protect it from water damage. They have adorned the Notre Dame Cathedral for more than 600 years. 

Chimera are ornamental-only sculptures such as the one featured on this enamel pin. They are statues often depicted as mythical beasts such as birds, hybrid creatures, or monsters. The structures were added during the reconstruction of the cathedral in the 1840s. 

Grotesques is the generic term for such stone carvings, regardless of whether they carry water. 

Placing gargoyles on the Notre Dame Cathedral’s exterior reinforced the idea that evil dwelt outside the church, while salvation dwelt within. 

Pins measure approximately 1".