Spire is an architectural term used to describe the tapering structure at the top of a tower. Most spires are tall and pointed. They may be shaped like an elongated pyramid, a cone, or an octagon. Most spires are made of stone or of timber covered with shingles or slates.
Spires first became popular in Europe during Romanesque times in the A.D. 1100’s. They reached their most developed form during the Gothic period that followed. Spires most often appeared on cathedral and church towers. But some skyscrapers built in the early 1900’s were topped with spires. The cathedral of Ulm, Germany, has one of the most famous spires in Europe. It rises to a height of 528 feet (161 meters).
