Chimeras -- Westminster Palace, Westminster, London, UK - Gargoyles and Chimeras on Waymarking.com

The waymark coordinates are for the Sovereign's gate at Victoria Tower in the Palace of Westminster, but for purposes of a visit we will accept any personally obtained photo of a Westminster Palace chimera. There are HUNDREDS (literally).

For an exhaustive discussion of the history and architecture of the Palace of Westminster, see British History online: (visit link)

We will merely pr4esent a small excerpt, as follows:

"he royal entrance, beneath this tower, is probably one of the most striking and effective portions of the new Palace of Westminster. The loftiness of the vaulted groining, the rich and varied bosses at its intersections, the canopied niches over the doors, and the exquisite variety of the details, all unite in producing a charming whole. There are two lofty arches on the south and west sides, as entrances. Entering beneath the tower, the royal gateway is on the north side, and consists of a beautiful archway deeply recessed, having within it a lesser archway, serving as the doorway. Over this is a panel containing the royal arms, supported by angels, very elaborately sculptured. Above the outer arch the wall is panelled into five divisions, the three central ones having in them very beautiful niches, containing figures of the Queen, Justice, and Mercy, standing on short pedestals, bearing shields charged with devices, and further enriched with labels, &c.; and the two outer divisions are filled with angels holding labels. Round the outer edge of the arch is a peculiarly rich cresting of roses and leaves. On the eastern side the wall is divided, similarly to the northern, into a lofty arch containing a dwarf arch deeply recessed, which leads into a long and narrow passage communicating with the Royal Court, where the state carriages wait during the Queen's stay in the House of Lords. Over this dwarf archway the royal arms and the crest of the Prince of Wales are the decoration. There are five divisions on the main portion of the wall exactly corresponding to those on the north wall, three of them containing figures of St. George, St. Patrick, and St. Andrew, standing on pedestals bearing the respective crosses used as their symbols; and the remaining two, angels holding shields bearing the royal arms. The rose cresting adorns this as well as the other arch, and bosses of the utmost variety of design fill the hollow of the jambs in both the great arches. This stately tower (supplying what Wren considered Westminster so much to need) was finished, by slow degrees, in 1857, the architect deeming it of importance that the works should not proceed, for fear of settlement, at a greater rate than thirty feet a year."

Water spout is used: no Condition: Lightly Weathered

Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log   02/07/2019 eilers1 visited it 10/03/2016 Master Mariner visited it 07/23/2016 Benchmark Blasterz visited it 04/14/2016 pmaupin visited it

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