Sunday, January 17, 2010

Gargoyle birds

On the top of Plein Huis across the road from Market Square there is a number ornamental birds. They actually look like they should rather be Gargoyles than birds, but what do I know about those ugly fellas that usually sit on top of buildings scanning the ground? My theory for these birds are that they were put there to stop actual birds from sitting on the top of the building messing on the walls and possible the heads of people walking past.

3 comments:

  1. That is one possibility, but if these birds perform like some imitation owls I've seen on roofs, then I suspect somebody is disappointed.

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  2. These look like classic Art Deco ornamentation to me, rather than an attempt to imitate real birds of prey. Can't recall if the rest of Pleinhuis is in an Art Deco style? Would not surprise me as a lot of old Central was. See the very similar gargoyles on the Chrysler Building in New York City: http://artfiles.art.com/5/p/LRG/26/2695/2HOUD00Z/margaret-bourke-white-chrysler-building-gargoyle.jpg

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