Along the cathedral at the edges of our perception as we walk by are creatures, grinning, snarling growling, contemplating our existence, staring at us, observing our movements. They may not be the first thing a person notices, but they are always there in our minds and perceptions. They have become synonymous with Notre-Dame and the concept of Gothic architecture itself.

The gargoyles and grotesques on Notre-Dame Cathedral look down and see themselves in us.