This entry is devoted to the gargoyles of the Burghers’ Lodge (Poortersloge) in Bruges (Belgium), a magnificent building located on Jan van Eyck Square in the city.
The Burghers’ Lodge in Bruges: Historical and Architectural Context
From the 15th century the Lodge was a meeting place for the burghers of Bruges. In the 18th and 19th centuries it was the Fine Arts Academy. Like most of the buildings in Bruges, this construction is aesthetically sublime, and its gargoyles, although of the usual characteristic type, add harmony and a touch of magic to the architecture of this lovely city.
The Gargoyles of the Architectural Ensemble
The gargoyles are fairly similar and we can see two types of figure represented in them.
Gargoyles Representing Animal Monsters
First, there are animal monsters, winged quadrupeds, and animal hybrids with features such as fur or protuberances on certain parts of the body.
Gargoyles Representing Demons
Second, we observe figures with a demonic appearance, displaying features characteristic of this typology: bat-like wings—some also showing a membranous tail—a goatee, a sunken trachea, large claws, aggressive gestures, the absence of forelegs or forelegs merged into the body, and in some cases a reptilian neck.
Overall, they are splendid gargoyles, excellently carved to create figures of great plasticity and expressiveness.
Grotesques
Finally, we present to you some peculiar grotesques located at the top of the tower.
This entry was originally published in May 2018 and updated in January 2026.
Doctor of Art History and researcher specializing in the study of gargoyles.
I am Dolores Herrero Ferrio, and my thesis, “An Approach to the Study of Gargoyles of Gothic Cathedrals in Castilla and León”, is dedicated to the study of these fascinating figures.
If you like gargoyles and art history, you will also enjoy my book, “The Gargoyle and Its Iconography,” a book I have written with great care for those interested in the world of gargoyles.
I have created my own Encyclopedia of Gargoyles, a Gargopedia to share with you, where you will discover all the secrets and wonders of these enigmatic sculptures.
I hope you enjoy this Gargopedia as much as I have enjoyed creating it, and remember that each gargoyle has a story to tell, and here you will discover them all.
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