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Lois Kosch | all galleries >> Galleries >> Paris 2005 > Elephant Gargoyle at Notre Dame
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29-APR-2005 Lois

Elephant Gargoyle at Notre Dame

Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris

The Cathedral has an interesting variety of gargoyles. I thought this elephant one was particularly unusual given that the church was built 1000 years ago and there certainly aren't any elephants running aroung France. I wondered when and how someone had seen an elephant in those days.

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L. Klepper 18-Jul-2012 22:46
My question is where on the structure is this located? Its condition means it must be higher up on the structure. Also, how tall, big is it?
Almighty101 19-Aug-2005 19:00
Hannibal came over the Alps with Elephants towards Rome about 200BC.
The Romans under Caesar invaded Gaul (France). Caesar died in 44BC I think.
So Elephant info would not be too uncommon in France.

Also, a lot of countries have non-native animals as emblems.
Both the Scots and English have lions as emblems.
The Welsh have a Dragon.