The Starry Night (1889) by Vincent van GoghMoMA The Museum of Modern Art
Churches come in a huge range of sizes and styles. From solid stone structures built hundreds of years ago, to contemporary creations constructed using cutting edge building techniques, our churches, chapels and cathedrals are incredibly varied.
However, there is one architectural feature almost all have in common: the spire. Used to symbolize church builders’ heavenly aspirations, and make religious buildings visible for miles around, spires can be found on churches from Brazil to Barcelona and Mexico to the USA. Here are some of our favorites.
By Michael RougierLIFE Photo Collection
St Patrick's Cathedral, New York
The seat of the Archbishop of New York, and the largest Gothic Revival Catholic Cathedral in North America, St Patrick’s is one of the most iconic buildings in Manhattan. The cathedral’s spires stand either side of its imposing Fifth Avenue entrance. Measuring 329.5 feet (100 m), they compete with nearby skyscrapers and ensure the cathedral isn’t completely lost in the city’s high rise skyline.
St Patrick's Cathedral
Construction started in 1858 but was halted during the American Civil War. The cathedral was finally completed in 1878, although the spires themselves weren’t added until 10 years later in 1888. At the time of completion, the spires were the tallest structures in New York City.
Sagrada Familia (1905/1905) by Baldomer Gili i RoigMuseu d'Art Jaume Morera
Sagrada Familia, Barcelona
If you thought St Patrick’s Cathedral took a long time to finish spare a thought for the hardworking builders of the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. Work on the structure began way back in 1882 and is still going on to this day. The many holdups to have delayed the build include the Spanish Civil War, the original plans being destroyed by fire and the Covid-19 pandemic.
La Sagrada Familia
Gaudí's original design called for a total of 18 spires. These were to represent the Twelve Apostles, the Virgin Mary, the four Evangelists and, tallest of all, Jesus Christ. To date, just nine of these have been built. When the remaining towers are complete, the Sagrada Familia will be the tallest church building in the world.
Sao Paulo Cathedral 2 (2015-09-19/2015-09-19) by Allfoto
Sao Paulo Cathedral, Sao Paulo
Construction of Sao Paulo Cathedral began in 1913 and ended more than four decades later in 1954. A mix of Neo-Gothic and Renaissance style architecture, the cathedral is 111 meters long, 46 meters wide and 30 meters high. It took over 800 tons of rare marble to build the cathedral and it can accommodate up to 8,000 people.
Sao Paulo Cathedral
Sao Paulo Cathedral has twin spires which stand either side of the main entrance. They rise to a height of 92 meters, dwarfing everything else around them. Despite having a renaissance style dome, the building is considered to be the 4th largest Neo-Gothic cathedral in the world.
Cathedral of Brasilia
The Cathedral of Brasilia, Brasilia
The Cathedral of Brasilia was designed by Oscar Niemeyer and dedicated on May 31st 1970. The conical shape of the structure is formed by 16 concrete columns, each of which forms a spire at its top. A large cross sits in the middle of the cathedral’s roof, adding a focal point to the building’s outline.
Bra Silia (1961) by Dmitri KesselLIFE Photo Collection
Learn more about Oscar Niemeyer and his work here.
