Standing Lion Body Gargoyle   G12

Architecture in the Middle Ages developed two distinct styles: Romanesque and Gothic. Romanesque architecture, with the sculpture which decorated it, was born in Italy and derived its name from its similarity to the weighty monumental quality of Roman buildings. Late in the 12th century a new style was being developed in France, destined to spread to every Christian country and even as far as the Holy Land in the times of the Crusades. With its pointed arch and slender, lofty spires, it led to such architectural marvels as the cathedrals at Chartres,Bruges, Amiens, Reims, and others. Before yielding to Renaissance architecture in the 16thcentury, Gothic structures had been adorned with thousands of sculptured figures. The rounded arch, of Roman origin, identifies the Romanesque; the pointed arch distinguishes the Gothic.