Peapix

  • Bing Gallery
  • Extension
Peapix
Bing Gallery
Extension
  • Canada
    All
    Australia Canada China Germany France India Japan Spain United Kingdom United States Italy Brazil

Bing Gallery

Australia Canada China Germany France India Japan Spain United Kingdom United States Italy Brazil
  1. Bing Gallery
  2. Canada
  3. 2020
  4. October 28
  5. Grotesques of native Ecuadorian seabirds on the Basílica del Voto Nacional in Quito, Ecuador
arrow_back_ios arrow_forward_ios Grotesques of native Ecuadorian seabirds on the Basílica del Voto Nacional in Quito, Ecuador

October 28, 2020

Grotesques of native Ecuadorian seabirds on the Basílica del Voto Nacional in Quito, Ecuador

© Henri Leduc/Getty Image

A 'grotesque' scene

'Goofy' might be a better descriptor, but these seabird statues lining an outer wall of an Ecuadoran cathedral are called 'grotesques'—the architectural term for a statue ornamenting the side of a building. But hang on…don't we call those 'gargoyles?’ Not exactly. Gargoyles are a type of grotesque that boast a specific, practical feature: spouts that convey water from rain gutters away from the building.

Grotesques often live up to their off-putting name, depicting demons or monsters (the word 'gargoyle' comes from 'garguille,' an evil creature from French legend). But the Basílica del Voto Nacional's grotesques celebrate the beautiful fauna of Ecuador: not only seabirds but iguanas, crocodiles, armadillos, and more. Though the Basílica is one of Quito's premier tourist attractions, it's been under construction since 1892 and technically remains unfinished—but legend has it the world will end when it's complete, so no one's really been rushing the job.

statue outdoor drawing text animal sculpture art stone

Related Images

Yungang Grottoes, Datong, Shanxi province, ChinaYungang Grottoes, Datong, Shanxi province, China
Borobudur temple, Java, IndonesiaBorobudur temple, Java, Indonesia
Stone carving at a temple in Ubud, Bali, IndonesiaStone carving at a temple in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
Bonaventure Cemetery, Savannah, GeorgiaBonaventure Cemetery, Savannah, Georgia
Reliefs in the ancient Persian city of Persepolis, IranReliefs in the ancient Persian city of Persepolis, Iran
Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel and Louvre Pyramid, Paris, FranceArc de Triomphe du Carrousel and Louvre Pyramid, Paris, France
Depiction of deities from the Tomb of Tutankhamun at the Egyptian Museum, Cairo, EgyptDepiction of deities from the Tomb of Tutankhamun at the Egyptian Museum, Cairo, Egypt
The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York CityThe Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City

Today on Bing

Pumpkin field, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Pumpkin field, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Oct 28, 2024
Windmills in Castilla-La Mancha, Spain

Windmills in Castilla-La Mancha, Spain

Oct 28, 2023
Stormy sky over Lake Geneva in Lausanne, Switzerland

Stormy sky over Lake Geneva in Lausanne, Switzerland

Oct 28, 2022
Cinnamon fern meadow near St. Mary's River, Nova Scotia

Cinnamon fern meadow near St. Mary's River, Nova Scotia

Oct 28, 2021
Fort Rock Valley Historical Homestead Museum, Oregon

Fort Rock Valley Historical Homestead Museum, Oregon

Oct 28, 2019

Related Tags

statue sculpture outdoor ancient stone sky building stone carving temple mountain artifact cloud old carving art tree plant building material city rock
Share photo
Share
Pin
Tweet
Line
  • © 2025 Peapix.com
  • API
  • App
  • Privacy
The images are provided for wallpaper use only.