The Gothic cathedral was a liber pauperum, literally a "book for the poor", covered with sculpture illustrating biblical stories, for the vast majority of parishioners who were illiterate.
These largely illustrated stories from the Bible, but also included stories and figures from mythology and more complicated symbols taken from medieval philosophical and scientific teachings such as alchemy.

The exteriors of cathedrals and other Gothic churches were decorated with sculptures of a variety of fabulous and frightening grotesques or monsters.
These included the gargoyle, the chimera, the dragon, the tarasque, and others, taken largely from legend and mythology.
 They were part of the visual message for the illiterate worshippers, symbols of the evil and danger that threatened those who did not follow the teachings of the church.

The gargoyle also had a more practical purpose.
 They were the rain spouts of the Cathedral; rainwater ran from the roof into lead gutters, then down channels on the flying buttresses to the mouths of the gargoyles.
 The longer the gargoyle, the farther the water was projected from the walls, protecting the walls and windows from water damage.
 Multiple numbers were used to distribute the water as widely as possible.

Amid all the religious figures, some of the sculptural decoration was devoted to illustrating medieval science and philosophy.
 The porch of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris and of Amiens Cathedral are decorated with similar small carved figures holding circular plaques with symbols of transformation taken from alchemy.
 The central pillar of the central door of Notre-Dame features a statue of a woman on a throne holding a sceptre in her left hand, and in her right hand, two books, one open (symbol of public knowledge), and the other closed (esoteric knowledge), along with a ladder with seven steps, symbolizing the seven steps alchemists followed in their scientific quest of trying to transform ordinary metal into gold.

Another common feature of Gothic cathedrals was a design of a labyrinth, usually found in stone on the floor in a central part of the cathedral.
 Inspired by the labyrinth in Greek legend constructed by King Minos as the home of the Minotaur,  in cathedrals they were known as the "Path of Jerusalem" and symbolized the difficult and often roundabout path that a Christian sometimes had to follow in life to reach the gates of Paradise and salvation.
Large labyrinths were originally found in Auxerre Cathedral, Sens Cathedral, Reims Cathedral, and Arras Cathedral, but these removed during various renovations in the 18th century.
 The best surviving examples are in Chartres Cathedral, in its original form,  and in Amiens Cathedral, which was reconstructed in 1894.

The portal sculpture of Burgundy integrates classical literary elements with its 13th-century Gothic style.
In Auxerre, two such examples of sculptures are upon the cathedral of Saint-Étienne depicting Hercules, a satyr, and a sleeping faun; the Chartres–Reims cathedral's north transept illustrates the biblical tale of David and Bathsheba.
The Sens Cathedral's "Coronation of the Virgin" reflects a similar relief cathedral on the Notre Dame in Paris, and was created in a workshop that made minor contributions to Spanish Gothic architecture
The Gothic cathedral was a liber pauperum, literally a "book for the poor", covered with sculpture illustrating biblical stories, for the vast majority of parishioners who were illiterate. These largely illustrated stories from the Bible, but also included stories and figures from mythology and more complicated symbols taken from medieval philosophical and scientific teachings such as alchemy.
The exteriors of cathedrals and other Gothic churches were decorated with sculptures of a variety of fabulous and frightening grotesques or monsters. These included the gargoyle, the chimera, the dragon, the tarasque, and others, taken largely from legend and mythology.  They were part of the visual message for the illiterate worshippers, symbols of the evil and danger that threatened those who did not follow the teachings of the church.
The gargoyle also had a more practical purpose.  They were the rain spouts of the Cathedral; rainwater ran from the roof into lead gutters, then down channels on the flying buttresses to the mouths of the gargoyles.  The longer the gargoyle, the farther the water was projected from the walls, protecting the walls and windows from water damage.  Multiple numbers were used to distribute the water as widely as possible.
Amid all the religious figures, some of the sculptural decoration was devoted to illustrating medieval science and philosophy.  The porch of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris and of Amiens Cathedral are decorated with similar small carved figures holding circular plaques with symbols of transformation taken from alchemy.  The central pillar of the central door of Notre-Dame features a statue of a woman on a throne holding a sceptre in her left hand, and in her right hand, two books, one open (symbol of public knowledge), and the other closed (esoteric knowledge), along with a ladder with seven steps, symbolizing the seven steps alchemists followed in their scientific quest of trying to transform ordinary metal into gold.
Another common feature of Gothic cathedrals was a design of a labyrinth, usually found in stone on the floor in a central part of the cathedral.  Inspired by the labyrinth in Greek legend constructed by King Minos as the home of the Minotaur,  in cathedrals they were known as the "Path of Jerusalem" and symbolized the difficult and often roundabout path that a Christian sometimes had to follow in life to reach the gates of Paradise and salvation. Large labyrinths were originally found in Auxerre Cathedral, Sens Cathedral, Reims Cathedral, and Arras Cathedral, but these removed during various renovations in the 18th century.  The best surviving examples are in Chartres Cathedral, in its original form,  and in Amiens Cathedral, which was reconstructed in 1894.
The portal sculpture of Burgundy integrates classical literary elements with its 13th-century Gothic style. In Auxerre, two such examples of sculptures are upon the cathedral of Saint-Étienne depicting Hercules, a satyr, and a sleeping faun; the Chartres–Reims cathedral's north transept illustrates the biblical tale of David and Bathsheba. The Sens Cathedral's "Coronation of the Virgin" reflects a similar relief cathedral on the Notre Dame in Paris, and was created in a workshop that made minor contributions to Spanish Gothic architecture
French Gothic architecture