"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
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Happy Pi Day!
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Nature Photography Day
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Masai giraffes in Amboseli National Park, Kenya
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Bowling Ball Beach in Mendocino County, California
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Midwinter freeze
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Happy Mothers Day!
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Fall for Chile
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In celebration of America’s national bird
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Rocks on the move
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Penn Station
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A dramatic view of Sicily
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Atrani, Amalfi Coast, Italy
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In the Himalayas for International Mountain Day
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A hit ballet, long after its debut
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Talampaya National Park, Argentina
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Till the cows come home
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Tour de France
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Corfe gets creepy
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Visiting a Maratha fortress
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Fall comes to the Last Frontier
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Womens History Month
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The Children’s Cultural Festival in Reykjavik begins today
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Fall color sweeps across the West
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Lake Tai s cherry trees in bloom
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Bioluminescence at Trwyn Du Lighthouse in Wales
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World of WearableArt Awards
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Visiting Ahch-To on Star Wars Day
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Darwin Day
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Birthplace of Roman emperors
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Wahclella Falls, Oregon