"Goofy" might be a better descriptor, but these seabird statues lining an outer wall of an Ecuadorian 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 simply grotesques that boast a specific, practical feature: spouts that convey water from rain gutters away from the building.
A grotesque scene
Today in History
More Desktop Wallpapers:
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A bridge comes full circle
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Huntington Beach Pier, California, at sunset
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International Rock Day
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Churún Merú waterfall in Venezuela
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Hay bales in North Yorkshire, England
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Cherry blossoms at Tom McCall Waterfront Park, Portland, Oregon
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World Migratory Bird Day
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Ruins of Inca temples and terraces on Huayna Picchu, Peru
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Wartburg Castle overlooking Thuringian Forest in Germany
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Children at play for International Day of Friendship
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Winter solstice
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Watch your step
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Long-eared owl in the Czech Republic
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Celebrating National Panda Day
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International Day of the Worlds Indigenous Peoples
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World Architecture Day
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Sitka shines on Alaska Day
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So, how long till springtime?
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Wicker fields in Cañamares, Spain
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Pollinator Week
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What the hay?
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Happy New Year!
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Tufa formations in Mono Lake, California
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Computer Science Education Week
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Dunquin Pier, County Kerry, Ireland
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Autumn in Piedmont
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Ready for takeoff
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Oktoberfest, Munich, Germany
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What s going on in this sky?
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May the Fourth be with you…
Bing Wallpaper Gallery

