Graoully

Lore & Background

In French folklore, Graoully (also spelled Graouli, Graouilly, Graouille, or Graully) is a creature with the appearance of a dragon. According to legend, it lived in the arena of the Roman amphitheater in Metz, France, along with a large number of smaller serpents. The creature's venomous breath poisoned the surroundings and terrified the city's population.

Saint Clement of Metz was sent to spread the gospel and promised to help the inhabitants in exchange for them abandoning their pagan beliefs. The bishop went to the serpents' pit, held up his cross, and captured Graoully with his stole. He then led the dragon away and made it disappear over the Seille River along with the rest of the serpents. In many depictions and versions of the story, Saint Clement instead slew the dragon by piercing it with a polearm.

Reader's Guide

Graoully became a symbol of Metz and remains one of the major symbols used by a number of major establishments in the city. The legend of Saint Clement inspired several other legends of dragonslayer saints. Graoully was also used in the local Oscan Games from the twelfth century until the start of the French Revolution. A procession with an effigy of the dragon was held in the city until the nineteenth century, starting in the eleventh century with banners depicting a dragon's head. The French Renaissance writer François Rabelais described the Graoully's effigy during a procession of the sixteenth century as a monstrous, hideous effigy terrifying for small children. The oldest known sculpture of Graoully dates from the 13th century and is located at 10 rue Chêvremont on the maison du serpent. Other representations exist in Sarrebourg, the Château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg, and in the crypt of the cathedral of Saint-Etienne. The name of Rue Taison is traced back to a warning from the Graoully. Graoully is also featured on the coats of arms of FC Metz.

Did You Know?

• The word Graoully is believed to derive from the French word 'grouiller' meaning 'swarm'.
• A procession with an effigy of Graoully was held in Metz until the nineteenth century.