Sphinx - The Ringling, Sarasota, Florida.
N 27° 22.989 W 082° 33.796
17R E 345418 N 3029843
A pair of Greek Sphinx's - A woman's head on a lions body - Located in the Bayfront gardens, flanking the path to the John and Mable Ringling Ca'D'Zan in Sarasota, Florida, USA.
Waymark Code: WMPPJR
Location: Florida, United States
Date Posted: 10/02/2015
Views: 3
This pair of Sphinx are some of dozens of classical sculptures within the grounds of the 66 acre Ca'D'Zan estate on Sarasota Bay. The John and Mable Ringling House & Gardens was established in 1927 as the legacy of John Ringling (1866-1936) and his wife, Mable (1875-1929).
A sphinx is a mythical creature with, as a minimum, the head of a human and the body of a lion. As listed in the List of legendary creatures: (
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"In Greek tradition, it has the head of a human, the haunches of a lion, and sometimes the wings of a bird. It is mythicised as treacherous and merciless. Those who cannot answer its riddle suffer a fate typical in such mythological stories, as they are killed and eaten by this ravenous monster. This deadly version of a sphinx appears in the myth and drama of Oedipus. Unlike the Greek sphinx, which was a woman, the Egyptian sphinx is typically shown as a man (an androsphinx). In addition, the Egyptian sphinx was viewed as benevolent, but having a ferocious strength similar to the malevolent Greek version and both were thought of as guardians often flanking the entrances to temples." Text Source: (
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"As awe-inspiring as any work of art, The Ringling Bayfront Gardens are a living treasure. Courting couples statuary watch over Mable’s Rose Garden. The shade the majestic Banyan trees provide. The delight inspired by the whimsy of the Dwarf Garden. The echoes from the past where the Circus King finally rests in the Secret Garden. The cooling breezes that blow along the Bayfront Promenade and Millennium Tree Trail. This is a place of nature’s making and man’s design." Text Source: (
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