Glossary entry

English term or phrase:

spire/turret/?

English answer:

spire-steeple

Added to glossary by Anna Maria Augustine (X)
Dec 9, 2004 21:08
19 yrs ago
4 viewers *
English term

spire/turret/?

English Other Architecture ...a cross or a figure
Is there a general term denoting the various types of structures which crown steeples, towers etc. (usually of churches, from Gothic to Rococo, but also town hall towers), and look like combined spire+lantern+dome or cupola+orb etc. (not all of them necessarily), sometimes topped by a cross of a figure, decorated with pinnacles etc., frequently faced with copper or tiles?
The Baroque structure of this type in Germany is called "Welsche Haube". This type of structure crowns for ex. S. Ivo and S. Agnese in Rome, or St. Mary-le-Bow in London. The closest I could find was a "spire-like form" (Britannica), but this is far from satisfactory...
Responses
4 Spire-Steeple
3 finial
3 See comment below...

Discussion

Anna Maria Augustine (X) Dec 10, 2004:
If they ever did exist in France they may have been destroyed during the revolution. Anyway I know the steeple comes last on top and the cross goes on top of that. Turrets can be on ships too. Thank you very much.
Non-ProZ.com Dec 10, 2004:
Spire it is, then, with qualifications. Thanks a lot, everybody.
Anna Maria Augustine (X) Dec 9, 2004:
It's very pretty. It must be typical of Poland. I have never seen anything like it in France. I'm sorry but I cannot give you a suitable link on architecture and freemasonary, so I will have to stick with my first answer. There is a spire with tall steepl
Dr Sue Levy (X) Dec 9, 2004:
Super! Am no expert, but I'd call that a spire - a very ornate one but still a spire.
Non-ProZ.com Dec 9, 2004:
If you want to know, what it looks like, go to http://www.trojmiasto.pl/ob.phtml?id_ob=106&bez=1
Non-ProZ.com Dec 9, 2004:
...a cross OR a figure, obviously

Responses

24 mins
Selected

Spire-Steeple

This would probably be closest as you've given so many possibilities. This is found in the Shorter Oxford Dictionary, and used in relation to churches.
Otherwise start with Spire-Steeple then describe "orb-shaped with a cross" seperately.
Turret is not really appropriate.
Good luck. Architecture is interesting.
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "I think this type of roof topping is mostly German, but it spread all over Europe. Haven't been able to find any French examples, though. Thanks"
45 mins

finial

that's the decorative bit at the top

http://www.denninger.com/whatisf.htm

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Note added at 51 mins (2004-12-09 21:59:44 GMT)
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the spire is a pointed structure

http://lucky.phpwebhosting.com/~ah/a/DCTNRY/s/spire.html

helful dictionary by the way
doesn\'t seem to be a collective word for tower-toppings :-)
Something went wrong...
2 hrs

See comment below...

Well, I don't actually think there IS one single word that means all that.

A steeple is a steeply-pointed roof (usually on a church), a spire is even taller and more pointed (but might also relate to non-church buildings)

A turret is something quite different - a small, sometimes jutting-out mini-tower, shape of roof not specified, but often conical / pointed

As for all the others, I think you have to refer to them as various kinds of 'roof', with suitable specifying words...

But I'm no expert, so stand to be corrected...
Something went wrong...
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