The Design of Spires and Vertical Architecture
Architecture has often been a manifestation of engineering prowess and design mastery. All over the world, spires of all types adorn buildings, drawing the eye with impressive intricacy and rigidity. Other forms of vertical architecture, such as pyramids and pagodas, have similar allure. Most spires have their origin in the symbolic religious striving for the divine, and they have diffused into other forms of modern architecture as telecommunications structures, lightning rods, and sources of an aesthetic wow factor.
Spires and Steeples
Figure 1: The Duomo di Milano Cathedral in Italy is covered in spires [1].
Spires are the most ubiquitous form of vertical architecture. Their long, tapering profile pierces the sky, adding a more pronounced contrast between the building and its environment. Steeples are towers that end with spires, and traditionally housed church bells. Another feature of steeples is that because they often tower above other buildings, they can be identified from far away. This brilliant feature of their design ensures that the buildings they adorn are not easily forgotten.
Figure 2: The San Diego Temple at dusk [2].
Figure 3: A church steeple overlooking a lake [3].
Figure 4: Prague is known as the City of a Hundred Spires [4].
Minarets
Figure 5: The Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca, Morocco [5].
Minarets, much like steeples, are slender towers used for religious purposes in Islam. While steeples tend to have bells, minarets provide an elevated position for the call to prayer to issue from the muezzin. As steeples are to Christianity, minarets are to Islam, and they often grace the skyline in North Africa and the Middle East.
Figure 6: The Blue Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey [5].
Figure 7: The parts of a minaret [6].
Pagodas
Figure 8: A beautiful Japanese pagoda beside a waterfall [7].
Pagodas are a sort of tower with many tiers of eaves that are common across East Asia. Usually, pagodas have five levels to symbolize the five elements of earth, water, fire, air, and space. At the top is a spire, which represents the last element and enlightenment in Buddhist cultures. The wood joinery that is used to make these structures is particularly impressive, and some of these structures are built without nails.
Figure 9: The Rurikoji Pagoda in Japan [8].
Figure 10: The golden Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon, Myanmar [9].
Shikhara and Vimana
Figure 11: The Lakshminarasimha Temple [10].
In Hindu culture, the Shikhara and Vimana are symbolic of the sacred Mount Meru and suggest the need to climb to higher planes of self-realization [10]. One ascends through various parts of the temple as if climbing a mountain, and the spire represents the peak.
Figure 12: A schematic of temples common to India [11].
Obelisks
Figure 13: An Egyptian obelisk that was taken to Rome, known as the Minervo Obelisk [12].
Obelisks are a four-sided, square spire that tapers gently until a pyramidal top. Obelisks are usually carved from a single piece of stone, often granite, which gives them great strength [13]. Obelisks are predominantly used as monuments, and the Washington Monument is a famous example of this. Their minimalistic design, contrasted with the intricacy of pagodas or minarets, makes them especially striking.
Figure 14: An Egyptian obelisk in Paris, known as the Place de la Concorde. This obelisk is from the temple of Luxor, and its mate is still there [13].
Figure 15: The Washington Monument [14].
Other Forms of Vertical Architecture
Figure 16: The onion domes of St. Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow, Russia [15].
Because vertical architecture is so compelling, there is a seemingly unending supply of its forms. Large domes, such as the onion domes pictured above, are another striking example. Domes are often topped with spires or iconography. There are also needle towers, such as Toronto’s CN Tower. Skyscrapers are one of the more modern versions of vertical architecture, and entries such as the Burj Khalifa are particularly awe-inspiring. Other towers, such as the Leaning Tower of Pisa, are also culturally significant.
Figure 17: The CN Tower in Toronto, Canada. Atop the observatory is a lengthy telecommunications spire [16].
Whatever form it takes, vertical architecture is extraordinary. Its great heights symbolize both humanity’s reaching for the beyond and marvelous feats of engineering that defy extreme weather and winds. This architecture illustrates how a single design idea can be iterated on and used to attract attention and supply meaning for various cultures and backgrounds.
References
[1] “Italy: Berlusconi Hit in Face by Statuette.” NBC News, 13 Dec. 2009, www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna42769004.
[2] Jarvie, Scott. “San Diego Temple - Lights on a Hill.” Altus Fine Art, altusfineart.com/products/scott-jarvie-san-diego-temple-lights-on-a-hill-sj04518.
[3] Kosloski, Philip. “This is Why Churches Have Steeples.” Aleteia, 2 Aug. 2017, aleteia.org/2017/08/02/this-is-why-churches-have-steeples/.
[4] “The City of a Hundred Spires: Prague Facts.” EuroSTAR Software Testing Conference, conference.eurostarsoftwaretesting.com/the-city-of-a-hundred-spires-prague-facts/.
[5] Reid, Robert. “The World’s Most Beautiful Mosques.” Rough Guides, www.roughguides.com/articles/the-worlds-most-beautiful-mosques/.
[6] “Minarets in Islamic Architecture.” RTF | Rethinking The Future, 14 Sept. 2021, www.re-thinkingthefuture.com/architectural-styles/a11578-minarets-in-islamic-architecture/.
[7] “8 Famous Pagodas in Japan with Breathtaking Views.” Trip to Japan, www.triptojapan.com/zh/blog/8-famous-pagodas-in-japan-with-breathtaking-views.
[8] “Five-Storied Pagoda of Rurikoji Temple.” Into You Japan, www.into-you.jp/en/places/5693/.
[9] “The World’s Most Beautiful Temples.” Far & Wide, www.farandwide.com/s/worlds-most-beautiful-temples-337c0d08747a493e.
[10] Lavanya, V. “Many Meanings of the Hindu Temple.” Indica Today, 22 Jan. 2021, www.indica.today/long-reads/many-meanings-of-the-hindu-temple/.
[11] “India's Rich Temple Architecture.” Cultural Chronicles, Substack, cultchron.substack.com/p/indias-rich-temple-architecture.
[12] “Egyptian Obelisks in Rome.” Archaeology Travel, archaeology-travel.com/travel-reports/egyptian-obelisks-in-rome/.
[13] Silver, Deborah. “The Garden Obelisk.” Dirt Simple, 27 Feb. 2014, deborahsilver.com/blog/the-garden-obelisk/.
[14] “The Washington Monument.” History Hit, www.historyhit.com/locations/the-washington-monument/.
[15] Manaev, Guze. “Why Do Russian Churches Have Onion Domes?” Russia Beyond, 22 Sept. 2020, www.rbth.com/arts/333139-russian-churches-onion-domes.
[16] “Inspiring by Day, Stellar by Night.” CN Tower, www.cntower.ca/inspiring-by-day-stellar-by-night.
To cite this article:
Conover, Dylan. “The Design of Spires and Vertical Architecture.” The BYU Design Review, 26 January 2026, https://www.designreview.byu.edu/collections/the-design-of-spires-and-vertical-architecture.
