Gargoyles are an important architectural feature in Gothic buildings around Europe. These ornate water spouts depict grotesque creatures or human figures. As practical as they were, they seem to have existed from the 14th to the 16th century in Bohemia.

This article examines why this is the case, and why they’re no longer fashionable.

Form and Function

People started using characteristic zoomorphic gargoyles in the 13th century¹. The first recorded mention of them is from a French Gothic cathedral in Laon, France¹. The most obvious image we have of them is on the facade of churches and religious buildings. In Bohemia, St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague Castle has some of the finest gargoyles you’ll see². They’re not only practical either; they are part of the Gothic aesthetic.

Symbology was another reason behind gargoyles. There’s a gargoyle of a Czech boy on one of Prague’s churches.

Given all this, why would they get rid of them?

The Decree of 1774

On January 7, 1774, Bohemian authorities issued a decree changing wastewater disposal². This decree banned traditional gargoyles, preferring vertical drainpipes on all buildings². History doesn’t explain why this happened but there are practical concerns. Gargoyles could be heavy, prone to falling, and dangerous to the public. There also is the obvious inconvenience of water pouring onto passers-by.

At first, builders and architects were reluctant to stick to the new regulation². Many ignored the instruction, preferring the traditional and ornate gargoyle designs. You can argue that “traditional” is better; an argument made every time we build something new. In 1787, the authorities doubled-down on their decision. They issued a new regulation ordering vertical drainpipes to be installed on all buildings within six months, under threat of a fine². This stricter enforcement persuaded people and all buildings got vertical drainpipes.

As someone who’s often walked through rain, I appreciate a neat drainpipe for rainwater. And if building practices were so shoddy they were a risk to pedestrians, I can understand the ban. I wish they’d solved the problem through better building standards instead.

The new systems are more efficient but they also lack artistic and symbolic elements. The transition marks a shift towards more utilitarian architectural practices, especially in Bohemia. Other jurisdictions didn’t do this and Bohemia seems to be unique in this respect. In other countries, gargoyles declined due to changing styles, rather than a ban. For instance:

• The French continued to use gargoyles and even revived this practise during a restoration of Notre-Dame. (Gargoyles are Gothic, and since this is a French style, it’s not surprising.)
• In Britain, the London Building Act of 1724 mandated downpipes for new construction³. This is not the same as banning gargoyles.

While the ban has practical benefits, it also is a loss of architectural heritage. The decree reflects the shift from ornate Gothic and Baroque styles to more austere utilitarian designs in the late 18th century.

Was this a good thing, or is it a cultural loss? The debate is ongoing; what do you think?

References

1. Hartog, E. den (2023). On the meaning of gargoyles. Bulletin du centre d’études médiévales d’Auxerre | BUCEMA, [online] (Hors-série n° 13). doi:https://doi.org/10.4000/cem.19950[↩][↩]
2. Radio Prague International. (2024). January 7, 1774: drainpipes replace gargoyles. [online] Available at: https://english.radio.cz/january-7-1774-drainpipes-replace-gargoyles-8804850 [Accessed 30 Jan. 2025][↩][↩][↩][↩][↩]
3. Internet Archive. (2025). Statutes at large .. : Great Britain. Laws, statutes, etc : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive. [online] Available at: https://archive.org/details/statutesatlarge70britgoog/page/482/mode/2up [Accessed 30 Jan. 2025][↩]

Remember: links were correct at time of publication.