The First Gargoyle: The Dragon That Haunted Rouen

Before gargoyles clung to cathedrals, before stone creatures watched from rooftops—there was La Gargouille.In this chilling tale from medieval France, we explore the legend of a dragon that haunted the riverbanks of Rouen, summoned storms, and swallowed souls. But when a humble monk faced the beast with nothing but a wooden cross, the story took a turn that gave birth to one of architecture’s most haunting symbols.Was it defeated… or contained?