# why do churches have spires? What are the "vents" on the side for?



## markowitzman (30 May 2008)

was walking by a cathedral today and the thought hit me as to why do churches have spires?
Seems a complete waste in view that they seem so complicated to build and probably took so long to build centuries ago.
What are the "vents" on the side for?
Why did the folks just stick a standard roof on the church or am I missing something?


----------



## PM1234 (30 May 2008)

*Re: church spires*

AFAIK they are symbols of prayer ie pointing to heaven? 

Also I guess practically they help people locate the building?


----------



## macnas (30 May 2008)

*Re: church spires*

Ever wonder why so many churches were built here during the famine?


----------



## GeneralZod (30 May 2008)

*Re: church spires*

Some of them do have a practical purpose. They hold peals of bells.

They're good sites to rent out for concealed mobile phone aerials hidden behind the vents.


----------



## so-crates (30 May 2008)

*Re: church spires*

I suspect it is partially prosaic realism, big church dominating the surrounding. The spire I think also frequently doubled as a bell-tower, higher up they are, the better the range they are audible over.

_Post crossed with General Zod ... oops _


----------



## Jack The Lad (30 May 2008)

*Re: church spires*



markowitzman said:


> Seems a complete waste in view that they seem so complicated to build and probably took so long to build centuries ago.
> Why did the folks just stick a standard roof on the church or am I missing something?



Does everything have to be so practical? 

I'm not overly bothered with what goes on beneath the spire, but I think most churches are beautifully designed and a pleasure to look at. For me that's reason enough.


----------



## Remix (30 May 2008)

*Re: church spires*

Times have changed for spires.

'Ritchie calls the Dublin Spire an "act of urbanism," that is, it's a landmark, an orientation point, a meeting place, and a vertical exclamation mark in a city that is still largely horizontal (ed: da drink!?) ..... it also evokes the "new" Ireland.'

Another blurb reads:
'What does the Dublin Spire mean? Whatever you want. There is no writing, no iconography, no overt symbolism. This spire is not a sign.'

Personally I find this sort of gobbledegook to be not in the least bit inspiring. (sorry bad pun!)


----------



## shnaek (30 May 2008)

*Re: church spires*



Jack The Lad said:


> Does everything have to be so practical?
> 
> I'm not overly bothered with what goes on beneath the spire, but I think most churches are beautifully designed and a pleasure to look at. For me that's reason enough.



Hear, hear. For practical buildings look at communist countries. I find churches to be amongst the best visits when I am abroad on holidays - churches of any religion.


----------



## ClubMan (30 May 2008)

*Re: church spires*



Jack The Lad said:


> I think most churches are beautifully designed and a pleasure to look at.


Have you not noticed any of the many monstrosities that were built particularly from the 1950s onwards?


----------



## DavyJones (30 May 2008)

*Re: church spires*



ClubMan said:


> Have you not noticed any of the many monstrosities that were built particularly from the 1950s onwards?


 

Alot of them look like they landed from outer space, very ugly. 
I heard on the radio today that Limerick Cathderal has the highest spire in Ireland. Go Limerick


----------



## Jack The Lad (30 May 2008)

*Re: church spires*



ClubMan said:


> Have you not noticed any of the many monstrosities that were built particularly from the 1950s onwards?



In fairness, you have a point. In fact I'd struggle to gaze at _anything_ built since 1950 for too long.


----------



## MrMan (30 May 2008)

*Re: church spires*

Monasteries and churches would tend to have differnet design anyway, with the monastery having to be practical in that it houses people.


----------



## Remix (30 May 2008)

*Re: church spires*



MrMan said:


> Monasteries and churches would tend to have differnet design anyway, with the monastery having to be practical in that it houses people.


 

Monasteries? Do you misread "any of the many monstrosities" ? 

I agree some of the more modern churches really are as ugly as sin.
I suspect those commissioning the churches got caught up in the modernist architecture movement and probably fell for
the gobbledegook (new approach to people & spaces) they heard from (secular?) architects.


----------



## Elphaba (1 Jun 2008)

*Re: church spires*

Have you noticed that a lot of catholic churches are built on the highest parts of towns and villages, they competed with the protestant churches,
always aiming to be higher, protestant churches tend to be in quieter leafy areas of town. However, attending the occasional christening or funeral some of the more modern 'ugly' churches do surprisingly contain some beautiful stain glass work


----------



## Deirdra (1 Jun 2008)

*Re: church spires*



markowitzman said:


> What are the "vents" on the side for?



vents? Probably buttresses or flying buttresses - designed to give lateral stability. 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_buttress


----------



## GeneralZod (1 Jun 2008)

*Re: church spires*

Or vents as in vents.  

http://www.raisethehammer.org/images/st_pauls_05.jpg


----------



## markowitzman (1 Jun 2008)

*Re: church spires*

yes as per your pic General Zod..........vents (surely this is not their real name!?)
still unsure of function or role of spire?
this cathedral was built in famine times and I just question why they spent money in this way when locals dropping like flies....
that said local church looking for "donations" for new spire.......has much changed?


----------



## GeneralZod (1 Jun 2008)

*Re: church spires*

Here's the dictionary definition of the noun vent.



> 1.	an opening, as in a wall, serving as an outlet for air, smoke, fumes, or the like



Looks like the most appropriate term to me.

Which church are you talking about? Or would that be revealing too much?


----------



## markowitzman (1 Jun 2008)

*Re: church spires*

ballina co mayo.........new/repaired spire castlebar.


----------



## GeneralZod (2 Jun 2008)

*Re: church spires*

http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/167266 That does look big, relative to the rest of it.

Externally built between 1828 - 1831, excluding the spire which was added in 1853. Local crop failures in the preceding decade and in 1830 and 1831 but before the main potato famine 1845 - 1851.  1892.

Adding the spires later seems to be common. It would certainly be a lower key building without it.


----------



## MrMan (3 Jun 2008)

> Monasteries? Do you misread "any of the many monstrosities" ?



Well now I just feel foolish! I couldn't figure out the link between the arcitecture of both, now I know thanks.


----------



## Seagull (3 Jun 2008)

If the vents are in the tower, they may be to allow the sound of the bells to get out.


----------



## triplex (3 Jun 2008)

to let the 'hot air' out......


----------



## AlastairSC (4 Jun 2008)

AFAIK, spires were originally designed to help visually locate the church, from the days when people followed field paths through (more wooded) countryside. Putting bells there, if the church could afford to, supplied an audible signal not just of worship time but of irregular events like funerals and good/bad news. Not sure about the vents but probably to allow wooden beams etc to get air circulation.


----------



## Sherman (4 Jun 2008)

*Re: church spires*



markowitzman said:


> this cathedral was built in famine times and I just question why they spent money in this way when locals dropping like flies....


 
Most public works projects, including churches, stone walls etc., built around this time were a form of social welfare i.e. providing jobs and wages to local men. You have to remember the 1840's were the height of _laissez faire_ economic thought, and to merely 'hand out' charity to starving people was an anathema.


----------

