Griffins - Tower Grove Park East Gate - St. Louis, MO
Posted by: 
YoSam.
N 38° 36.304 W 090° 14.537
15S E 740138 N 4276559
"Donated by Henry Shaw. The lions were copied from lions on Pope Clement XIII's tomb in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome." ~ Smithsonian - Lions and Griffins, and Oh My
Waymark Code: WMNCE4
Location: Missouri, United States
Date Posted: 02/13/2015
Views: 1
County of lions: St. Louis Independent City
Location of lions: Grand Ave. entrance, Tower Grove Park East Gate, St. Louis
Site designed by: Henry Shaw
Built in 1872
The griffin, griffon, or gryphon is a legendary creature with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle. As the lion was traditionally considered the king of the beasts and the eagle was the king of the birds, the griffin was thought to be an especially powerful and majestic creature.
Griffins as seen by Wikipedia are many a varied
"The metallic figures ornamenting this entrance were executed at Berlin, . . . imported for the ornamentation of the gate-ways by the Board of Commissioners. The lions couchant are particularly worthy of notice. They are modeled on the celebrated weeping lions of Antonio Canova (for the tomb of Pope Clement XIII in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome), and the expression and pose are strikingly natural. Both the lion and griffin sculptures installed in 1872 were cast in zinc." ~ Rome of the West
Smithsonian Art Museum listing as to artist, etc...