1 Gargoyles are funny statues that sit on top of Gothic churches. They look like monsters, but they had one practical purpose. They were rain spouts, but they were a strange part of Gothic architecture.
2 Gargoyles looked scary and ugly. Besides being rain spouts, some people believe that they were used to protect the church from evil. Others think that they were there to make the rest of the church seem more beautiful. Some had big noses. One of them was picking his nose! Others had big glasses. They were an eerie part of this elegant style of building.
3 Gothic architects had a big goal. They wanted their churches to reach heaven. To do this, they made their cathedrals tall. They added enormous stained glass windows. This style of architecture started in France in the 12th century. It lasted for over 400 years.
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