Carvers Put an Astronaut, Alien and Darth Vader on Churches in Europe and the US (11 Photos)

October 19, 2026

By Vidar

Old buildings, small surprises

Most people look at a cathedral from a distance. Walk closer to these ten and you find an astronaut in Salamanca, an alien in Paisley, Darth Vader on a tower in Washington and a mouse on a pew in Yorkshire. Some of these details are more than 800 years old; others were added in the last 50 years.

🦷 Bitten Cheek — Salisbury Cathedral, England 🇬🇧

From below it is one more stone head with its mouth open. Up close there is a second figure: a small creature hanging on to the side of the face with its teeth in the cheek. The carving is on Salisbury Cathedral. The face above the bite does not look happy about it.

More: 9 Hilarious Gargoyle Statues: Medieval Humor!

🧑‍🚀 Astronaut — By Miguel Romero in Salamanca, Spain 🇪🇸

Among the stone leaves around the Puerta de Ramos of the New Cathedral floats a figure in a spacesuit and boots. It is not a mystery from the 1500s: it was added in 1992, when the door was restored, and chosen to represent the 20th century. Stone carver Miguel Romero made it.

💡 Restoration Fact: The astronaut was not the only newcomer. Romero filled the same corner with other modern figures: a lynx, a bull, a stork, a crayfish, a hare and a creature eating ice cream.

📂 Artwork File · Sourced factsAstronautMiguel Romero · 1992 · Puerta de Ramos, New Cathedral, SalamancaPuerta de RamosMark of the 20th centuryVillamayor stone (Flickr)1Stonemason Miguel Romero carved the astronaut in 1992, when a restoration of the cathedral’s façade began.elDiario.es, 5 Mar 20252According to Lead Stories, the figure of the astronaut was chosen to represent the 20th century.Lead Stories, 24 Nov 20201992Carved · Salamanca Tourism20109 SepMichel Hernández photo · camera date201119 FebTamorlan photo · camera date202024 NovFact check · Lead Stories20255 MarReport · elDiario.es202519 NovFernando Prada Sanroman photo · camera date202628 JunVisitor guide · La Maleta InquietaMore photos2025 Frontal view of the astronaut (resized)Photo: Fernando Prada Sanroman / Wikimedia Commons (Public Domain Mark)Read the full file →

📷 Photo: Tamorlan / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)

👽 Alien Gargoyle — By David Lindsay in Paisley, Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Paisley Abbey needed twelve new gargoyles for the roof and parapet of its 13th-century nave, and the client asked for modern designs. Carver David Lindsay drew this one late one evening in 1993, as a homage to the creature from Alien. In the second photo it sits among the other eleven at Paisley Abbey, including heads that see, hear and speak no evil.

💡 Carving Fact: Lindsay and two other carvers shared the work, and each gargoyle took about four weeks to carve.

📂 Artwork File · Sourced factsAlien GargoyleDavid Lindsay · Early 1990s · Paisley Abbey, Paisley, ScotlandOne of 12 new gargoylesClashach sandstoneWorking waterspout1Carver David Lindsay says he sketched the design late one evening in 1993, as a homage to the creature from Alien.Stirling City Heritage Trust2It was one of twelve replacement gargoyles carved for the abbey’s roofline, and sits on the south-western side of the building.Scotland’s Churches Trust1993Design sketched · David Lindsay201313 OctMark Harkin photo · camera date201610 AugThomas Nugent photo · date taken202530 JanDescribed on the abbey · Paisley HeritageRead the full file →

🖤 Darth Vader — Washington National Cathedral, USA 🇺🇸

High on the northwest tower of Washington National Cathedral, between the usual stone faces, is Darth Vader’s helmet. The cathedral lists it among its fun facts and notes that it is technically a grotesque, not a gargoyle. It came from a children’s contest in National Geographic World magazine to design grotesques for the cathedral: Christopher Rader’s drawing took third place. Jay Hall Carpenter sculpted it and Patrick J. Plunkett carved it in stone.

💡 Viewing Fact: It is hard to see with the naked eye; binoculars are usually needed to spot it.

📂 Artwork File · Sourced factsDarth Vader GrotesqueJay Hall Carpenter and Patrick J. Plunkett · Washington National Cathedral, Washington, D.C.LimestoneNorthwest towerInstalled 1986 (WETA)1Christopher Rader of Kearney, Nebraska, drew the Darth Vader design that took third place in the cathedral’s children’s competition.Jay Hall Carpenter2Jay Hall Carpenter sculpted the helmet in clay, and stone carver Patrick J. Plunkett then carved the grotesque from limestone.WETA Boundary Stones1986Installed · WETA history20094 JulPhoto · Cyraxote, Commons2017Record · Cathedral, Google Arts & Culture202119 AugPhoto · press tour, FOX 5 DCRead the full file →

📷 Photo: Cyraxote / Wikimedia Commons (public domain)

😈 Lincoln Imp — Lincoln Cathedral, England 🇬🇧

Look between the two arches: under the carved leaves and just above the bearded stone head, a small figure sits cross-legged, about 12 inches (30 cm) high. The imp is in the Angel Choir of Lincoln Cathedral, built between 1250 and 1280. In the story the cathedral tells, he flew in to cause trouble, the angels told him to stop, he answered “Stop me if you can!” and he was turned to stone.

💡 Football Fact: Lincoln City FC are nicknamed The Imps after the carving, and in 2025 the club’s community trust made a plaque for the cathedral’s visitor center marking where the nickname came from.

📂 Artwork File · Sourced factsLincoln ImpUnnamed medieval carver · Angel Choir, Lincoln Cathedral, EnglandAbout 12 inches highNorth side of Angel ChoirCross-legged stone devil1The cathedral says the half human, half animal figure was probably meant to represent the devil, a popular theme for 13th-century sculptors.Lincoln Cathedral2Lincoln jeweller James Ward Usher revived the Imp’s popularity in the late 1800s with Imp brooches, cuff links, spoons and thimbles.Lincoln Museum20073 MarPhoto · Richard Croft, Geograph20121 JulPhoto · Julian P Guffogg (our photo)201327 JanJules & Jenny photo · camera date20262 MayIn a Lincoln City shirt · GeographMore photos2026 Wearing a Lincoln City shirtPhoto: Richard Croft / Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0)Read the full file →

📷 Photo: Julian P Guffogg / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)

🐸 Frog on a Skull — University of Salamanca, Spain 🇪🇸

The Plateresque facade of the University of Salamanca is covered in carvings from top to bottom. On the right-hand side, high up, three carved skulls sit along a ledge, and a small frog sits on one of them. By popular tradition, students who find it without help will have luck in their exams.

💡 Meaning Fact: The most common reading is a reminder of death: the frog stands for lust, and on a skull it says that life is short. Nobody knows for sure.

📂 Artwork File · Sourced factsFrog on a SkullUniversity of Salamanca · 1519–1528 · Escuelas Mayores, SalamancaVillamayor stoneRich Facade, 1519–1528Students’ lucky charm1The city says the frog appears on one of the facade’s pilasters and has become a good luck charm for students.City of Salamanca2The university’s own photo calls the frog on the skull the most popular element of the Plateresque facade.Universidad de Salamanca on Google Arts & Culture201119 FebTamorlan photo · camera date (our photo)201719 MayHoward Lifshitz photo · Commons20199 MayEsther Westerveld photo · Commons20206 MarIn a LEGO model of the facade · El Español20249 SepStudent talisman story · El Español202430 SepGlobetrotteur17 photo · Commons2026SepOwn detail photo · La Maleta InquietaRead the full file →

📷 Photo: Tamorlan / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)

👀 The Curieux — Abbey Church of Sainte-Foy, Conques, France 🇫🇷

The Last Judgment over the portal of Sainte-Foy has at least 124 figures and dates from the first half of the 12th century. Christ, in the middle, gets most of the attention. On the arch above, small angels grip the edge and peek over it. They are known as the curieux, the curious ones, still waiting for the verdict.

📂 Artwork File · Sourced factsThe curieux12th century · Sainte-Foy, ConquesFourteen figuresOver the tympanum archCarved stone1Wikipedia calls the curieux forerunners of the Kilroy cartoon, figures who peek over the edges of the tympanum.Wikipedia2The tympanum below them shelters at least 124 figures on a field 6.70 m wide and 3.60 m high, the tourist office says.Conques tourist office201012 MarCommons photo: Les Curieux20111 NovCommons close-up20258 JunCommons photo of the portalRead the full file →

More: Medieval humor – At Abbey of Sainte Foy, Conques, France (c. 1107)

🦉 The Owl — Notre-Dame de Dijon, France 🇫🇷

A small owl is carved into a corner of Notre-Dame de Dijon, on the street that is named after it, rue de la Chouette. Touch it with your left hand and make a wish, the tradition goes, and so many people have done it that the stone has been worn smooth.

💡 City Fact: The owl was damaged by vandals in 2001 and repaired, and it is now watched by a camera. It also gives its name to the Owl Trail, a 22-stop walk through the old town marked by bronze arrows set into the pavement.

📂 Artwork File · Sourced factsLa ChouetteUnknown carver · Notre-Dame de Dijon, FranceCarved stone reliefAbout 1.80 m upOwl Trail emblem1Visitors stroke the owl with their left hand, hoping their wishes will be granted; the worn stone shows how often.Dijon Tourism2Vandals damaged the owl in 2001; it was repaired and is now watched by a video camera.Atlas Obscura20015 JanVandalised · Wikipédia200112 MayRestored owl unveiled · Wikipédia201529 SepFrançois de Dijon photo · camera date201620 SepPlace entry · Atlas Obscura20256 AugBenjamin Smith photo · camera date202624 MarFeature · Le Bonbon DijonRead the full file →

📷 Photo: François de Dijon / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

🍑 Bare Backside — Freiburg Minster, Germany 🇩🇪

On the south side of the nave of Freiburg Minster, among the stone animals and monsters, one gargoyle is a naked man stretched out from the wall with his bare backside pointed at the street. Officially he is the Hinternentblößer, roughly “the backside-barer”, one of 91 gargoyles that carry rainwater away from the walls.

📂 Artwork File · Sourced factsHinternentblößer1913 copy of a 16th/17th-century original · Freiburg Minster, GermanyOne of 91 gargoyles1913 copySouth side of the nave1The figure on the minster is a 1913 copy; the 16th- or 17th-century original’s whereabouts are unknown.Freiburger Münsterbauverein2Its official name is Hinternentblößer, one of 91 gargoyles that lead rainwater away from the minster’s walls.Visit Freiburg201724 AugClaudia Tabori photo · Münsterbauverein20192 AugAsurnipal photo · Wikimedia CommonsRead the full file →

📷 Photo: Asurnipal / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

🐭 Pew Mouse — By Robert Thompson in Hubberholme, England 🇬🇧

Running up the end of a pew in the church of St Michael and All Angels in Hubberholme is a carved oak mouse. It is the signature of Robert Thompson, the furniture maker from Kilburn in North Yorkshire known as the Mouseman, who carved a mouse on almost every piece he made.

💡 Origin Fact: According to the workshop’s own history, the mouse started in 1919: while the two were carving a cornice, a fellow carver said he was “poor as a church mouse,” and Thompson answered, “I’ll carve a mouse here.”

📂 Artwork File · Sourced factsPew MouseRobert Thompson · 20th century · HubberholmeMouseman of KilburnMark adopted 1919St Michael and All Angels1Several of Robert Thompson’s trademark mice are carved in the pews of St Michael and All Angels, Hubberholme.A Church Near You2Thompson decided in 1919 to sign his pieces with a small carved mouse, after a joke about being poor as a church mouse.Robert Thompson’s Craftsmen201610 AprPews reported · Tony Garofalo, Flickr202431 DecHistorian’s account · Welcome to Yorkshire20253 AugRuhrfisch photo · camera dateRead the full file →