Once Upon a Time...the Bestiary of Postman Cheval

the bizarre gargoyle seems to say. With its dragon head, overlooking the corner of the northeast facades, it welcomes visitors. This legendary creature, a symbol of protection against evil, is one of the edifice's guardians.

Seen from the side, the canine figure resembles a fantastic beast, with its natural stone body.
Manicure details: Postman (Ferdinand) Cheval, extremely meticulous in his work, used small pebbles in different colors to recreate claws.

Amongst the dozens of animals that can be found around the monument, you can spot a billy goat, a cockerel, an eagle, a rabbit, a cat, and a fox, which Postman Cheval often came across on his routes across the Drôme region.

Symbol of France, the Gallic rooster appears several times in the Ideal Palace.

Certain animals have been depicted in families, the Palace's North facade is home to, in its three niches: mama deer...

...papa deer and...

...baby deer, although the  Postman spelt the fawn's name wrong! 

He discovered and reproduced ants, pelicans, caimans, elephants, bears, camels... a unique way to send visitors on a voyage.

In the Gallery, in Egyptian style, the bas-reliefs of the animals are sculpted in a profile view. To help the visitor,  Postman Cheval often labelled the animal with its name: eagle, flamingo, ostrich ...

The Palace includes several Biblical references. The colorful interlacing of the serpents next to the image of Adam and Eve is a stunning example. Made from limestone, and reinforced with iron, they demonstrate the ingenuity of  Postman Cheval, a truly self-taught stonemason.