Spire facts for kids

A spire is a tall, pointy structure that sits on top of a building, often a church tower. Imagine a giant cone or pyramid reaching high into the sky – that's a spire! The word "spire" comes from an old English word that meant a sprout or a stalk of grass, which makes sense because spires look like they're sprouting from the building.

Spires are built for a couple of reasons. One reason is to show strength and power. A spire, with its sharp point, can make a building look very strong and important. Another big reason is to reach up towards the heavens. This is why you often see spires on churches and other religious buildings. It's a way for the building to seem closer to the sky, like a religious symbol. Ancient pyramids in places like Egypt were built for similar reasons. However, today, some of the tallest spires are on modern buildings like offices or hotels, not just churches. For example, The Shard in London has a very tall spire.

Most often, spires are a beautiful part of Christian churches, adding to their grand design.

What is a Spire?

A spire is a tall, pointed part of a building, usually found on top of a tower. It often looks like a cone or a pyramid that gets narrower as it goes up. Spires are a common feature in architecture, especially on old churches and cathedrals.

Why Buildings Have Spires

Spires are not just for looks; they also have special meanings.

• Showing Strength: A spire can make a building look powerful and strong, like a spear pointing upwards.
• Reaching the Sky: Many spires are on religious buildings because they seem to reach up towards the sky. This can be a way to show a connection to heaven or a higher power. It's similar to why ancient civilizations built huge pyramids.

Today, some of the world's tallest spires are on modern buildings that are not churches, like very tall office buildings or hotels.

Where Can You See Spires?

Spires are most famous for being on Christian churches. They are a key part of the design of many cathedrals and churches around the world. But you can also find spires on other types of buildings, like castles or even some modern skyscrapers.

Famous Spires Around the World

Many cities are known for their amazing spires.

• Ulm Cathedral in Germany has the tallest church spire in the world.
• Cologne Cathedral in Germany has two very tall and detailed spires.
• Chartres Cathedral in France has two different spires, one older and one newer, showing how styles changed over time.
• The Burj Khalifa in Dubai has the tallest spire in the world, reaching an incredible height of 223 m (732 ft)! This spire is part of a secular building, showing how spires are used in modern architecture too.

Images for kids

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  The Burj Khalifa holds the record of the tallest spire in the world, with the height of 223 m (732 ft)

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  Chartres Cathedral. The Flamboyant Gothic North Tower (finished 1513) (left) and older South Tower (1144–1150) (right)

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  Crown spire on the High Kirk, Edinburgh.

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  The flèche of Rouen Cathedral (centre), (151 meters), the tallest flèche in France

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  The octagonal tower of Burgos Cathedral (1221–1260), with an array of pinnacles

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  The spire of Burghley House (1555–1587) is an example of a spire on non-religious building.

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  The Gothic spire of Antwerp Cathedral (1352–1521)

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  19th century spires of Cologne Cathedral

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  Neo-Gothic-Modernist Sagrada Família in Barcelona

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  19th century flèche of Notre-Dame de Paris

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  Spire of St Martin's Church, Landshut

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  Gothic spires of Burgos Cathedral.

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  Pinnacles in Utrecht, Netherlands

See also

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