Who Was St. George?

Since 2013, Creation Museum guests have been immediately introduced to the Dragon Legends exhibit when they enter the building. This colorful display, full of beautiful artwork and replicas of various artifacts, highlights a collection of dragon legends found around the globe.

Guests learn about fascinating stories of dragons and dragon slayers like St. George and Beowulf. Tales of these renowned creatures have been found among ancient cultures on every continent except Antarctica.

But did you know the Dragon Hall Bookstore also has a sculpture of St. George slaying a dragon—along the wall by the main entryway? Find out more about who St. George was and this sculpture below.

Who Was St. George?

St. George (AD 275–303) was a devout Christian and Roman military officer. The famous legend of his battle with the dragon is said to have occurred during his journey to join his men in Diocletian’s army.

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As he neared the city of Selene in Libya, he saw a young princess outside the city wall. She pleaded with him to leave so that he would not be killed by the dragon to which she was being offered as a sacrifice. George refused to leave and vowed to protect her.

Suddenly, the dragon appeared and attacked the soldier. During his fierce battle against the fire-breathing foe, George found a weak spot under the beast’s left wing and delivered a crippling blow. The legend explains that the princess then led the maimed creature back into the city, where George killed it in the presence of the people.

The king asked George what he wanted as a reward. The dragon slayer replied, “I desire only that ye believe in the God who strengthened my hand to gain this victory.” After baptizing the city into the Christian faith, George resumed his trek to join his troops.

Dragon Hall Bookstore’s Sculpture

The sculpture of St. George and the Dragon was first created as a quarter-scale model in clay and then scanned into the CNC (Computer Numerical Control) computer, which created a 3D negative mold. Hydracal plaster was poured into the mold and, after curing, was installed in pieces. St. George needed a good bit of detailing and a light marble faux finish to complete the sculpture.

Start planning your trip to the Creation Museum today, and be sure to check out our Dragons Legends exhibit and the Dragon Hall Bookstore to learn about St. George and more.