Spires

These are tapering architectural elements that often replaced the steeple to lend an impression of loftiness. Gothic cathedrals often feature profuse spiring, giving the impression of battlements - symbolic of a religious fortress protecting the faith. Openwork spires are perhaps the most common; this elaborate spire consisted of stone tracery held together by metal clamps. It had the ability to achieve radical heights while lending a feeling of lightness through its skeletal structure.