spire, in architecture, steeply pointed pyramidal or conical termination to a tower. In its mature Gothic development, the spire was an elongated, slender form that was a spectacular visual culmination of the building as well as a symbol of the heavenly aspirations of pious medieval men.
What is the meaning of church spires?
countable noun. The spire of a building such as a church is the tall pointed structure on the top.
Why do churches have tall spires?
Towers are a common element of religious architecture worldwide and are generally viewed as attempts to reach skyward toward heavens and the divine.
Why is it called a spire?
A tapering structure on top of a church tower, usually conical or pyramidal in shape. The word comes from the old Saxon word for spear, and certainly a very slender spire might be tought to resemble a spear.
What churches have spires?
Towers and Spires
- St. Michael and All Angels, Mitcheldean. Towers and spires.
- St Mary the Virgin, Tetbury. Towers and spires.
- St Gregory’s Roman Catholic Church, Cheltenham. Towers and spires.
- St Mary, Upleadon. Towers and spires.
- St James, Chipping Campden. Towers and spires.
- Frenchay Unitarian Chapel. Towers and spires.
Why do churches have steeples and spires?
The use of spires, steeples and towers on Christian church buildings became a common element around the eighth century. Steeples symbolically pointed to heaven. Early towers in churches were also symbolic that the prayers of church members would ascend to heaven.
Why do churches have spires and towers?
A tower or spire indicates the location of a church and many of them appear to have been built in the later middle-ages to the glory of God as a result of fundraising by the community or individual donations. The addition of a tower or spire was impressive but also a very costly exercise.
What are the spires called?
A flèche (French: flèche, lit. ‘arrow’) is the name given to spires in Gothic architecture. In French the word is applied to any spire, but in English it has the technical meaning of a spirelet or spike on the rooftop of a building.
What is the difference between spires and steeples?
Steeple, implies, the turret of a church; be it of what form soever. By spire, is understood, a steeple, rising taper to the top. By tower, is implied, a square steeple. Spire, and, tower, then, are certain kinds of steeples.
Why don t some churches have spires?
Question: Why do fewer churches in the countryside have spires compared to churches near cities? Answer: Square church towers used to have wooden spires on top of them. In rural areas these would become damaged or fall down and they were never repaired whereas a stone or a flint tower would survive for longer.
What are the spires on houses called?
Cupolas were originally designed to add natural light and ventilation to the area under a roof. They sit on the ridge of a roof and can be found in many shapes, including square, round, and octagonal.
Who created spires?
In 1965, less than 20 years after immigrating from Greece to America, John Haretakis founded Spires Restaurants. Ever since then, Spires Restaurants has been part of the history of Southern California. His vision was simple: make good food easy to find.
What is the top of a church spire called?
steeple
A steeple is a tall pointed structure on top of the tower of a church.
What is the pointy thing on a church called?
A pointed cone shape on top of a building is called a spire, especially when it rises from the roof of a church. The part of a church roof that rises above a city skyline or a village’s rolling hills, pointing sharply up toward the sky, is its spire.
Which city has the most spires?
The city of Prague
The city of Prague is normally called “The golden city of one hundred spires,” but often it is called “The golden city of five hundred spires” and “The golden city of one thousand spires.” Prague is called this because of its beautiful cathedrals and their pointy spires.
What is the real meaning of the steeple?
stee·ple ˈstē-pəl. : a tall structure usually having a small spire at the top and surmounting a church tower. broadly : a whole church tower.
Why are the church spires flaming?
The line “the church-spires flamed” imply the happiness of the people when they thronged the streets to welcome the Patriot.
What were the church spires decorated with?
In the poem ‘The Patriot ‘, the church spires were decorated with flaming flags. In the poem, ‘The Patriot’ by Robert Browning, the poet talks about patriotism, politics, religious faith and the sacrifice of several leaders.
Where did spires originate?
Early Origins of the Spires family
The surname Spires was first found in Renfrewshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Rinn Friù), a historic county of Scotland, today encompassing the Council Areas of Renfrew, East Renfrewshire, and Iverclyde, in the Strathclyde region of southwestern Scotland.
What does tower symbolizes in the Bible?
Most mentions of towers in the Bible refer to a literal tower, but they were also used figuratively as a symbol for protection and provision. God is our tower, as evidenced by verses such as these: “You have been my refuge, a tower of strength against the enemy” (Ps 61:3) and “The name of the LORD is a strong tower.
What do the spires represent on LDS churches?
Brigham Young made it clear that of the six spires on the temple, the three on the east represent the First Presidency and the Melchizedek Priesthood. The three spires on the west, which are slightly lower, represent the Presiding Bishopric and the Aaronic Priesthood.