In a table full of seasoned compostelanos, it is not advisable to ask where their alternate, colloquial, and colorful gentilicio “picheleiros” comes from. Each person present may have their own theory and heated disagreements with others, leading to a discussion that goes beyond desserts and coffee liqueur. Most accept that the name comes from “pichel,” a tall tin jug with a lid, manufactured in Santiago as early as the Middle Ages, with a word evolved from Occitan, Latin, or even Greek (the first point of dispute). Others argue that the nickname originated not so much from the trade but from the locals’ fondness for drinking from the pichel (second controversy). A third group insists that the authentic term is not “picheleiro” but “picholeiro” (third discussion), explaining that this derives from the abundance of water sources or “pichos” in the Galician capital; this group even develops their theory by claiming that ‘picho’ is related to the colloquial term “pichola” (penis, in Spanish).
Explorers like Benxamín Vázquez have counted at least 300 sculptural drains on monumental buildings in Compostela. These functional and artistically free elements hover over tourists’ heads, with guided tours and conferences highlighting their significance growing in Santiago. Retired journalist has published a book, “Gargoyles of Compostela,” together with photographer Xaime Cortizo. The interest in the gargoyles is not unusual. Tours to discover the 112 gargoyles and grotesques in Washington Cathedral, built in the neogothic style, are highly requested. Gargoyles around the world often nod to pop culture, with contemporary touches on ancient buildings. As pointed out by Dolores Herrero, an expert in these fantastic sculptures in Europe, the gargoyles at Notre Dame in Paris, for example, are actually chimera, diverting from the architectural function of water drainage.
Historian Dolores Herrero, with her extensive research and documentation, explains that gargoyles have inspired significant literature since Romanticism but are largely misunderstood and undocumented. Stonemasons have expressed their creativity freely in these sculptural pieces, representing creatures such as gorgons, basilisks, and griffins, turning the highest parts of buildings into a ‘Garden of Delights in stone,’ according to Vázquez. In Santiago, intricate gargoyles 30 meters above street level are hidden but meticulously crafted, emphasizing artistic details that will likely go unnoticed from the ground. Although there is an abundance in France and Spain, the Renaissance shifted the focus of architecture to simpler drainpipes until they experienced a revival with Romanticism, as seen in modern sculptor José Miguel Abril’s work.
Hidden in the heights, gargoyles were used to caricature public figures, sinful clergy, and even kings. They represented the obscene, exaggerated, and profane, contrasting with the Christian elements on the ground. Herrero recounts examples from Burgos and Valencia, where demons and kings with comical features and caricatures can be found. The intersection of the monstrous and the sacred displayed in these sculptures reflects a rich history of artistic expression in architecture. Even with the challenges of maintenance due to bird droppings and pollution, gargoyles remain historical treasures embedded in the roofs of public and private buildings, monuments, and churches across Europe.
