Churches tend to stand out among other buildings in a town or city. The main reason for that is the tall steeples that can be found atop most churches. The church steeples history goes back a long time and can give a lot of insight into the way people live.
There are some different theories about the church steeple design and what it meant for churches and worship. Some historians believe that the vertical lines of church steeples were meant to enhance the look of the church itself. They were thought to exist to draw worshippers eyes upwards, towards heaven and God. They say that by doing this, people put themselves into the right frame of mind to properly worship God. Throughout the church steeples history, their ability to put people in a better frame of mind for worship has been an important part of having one.
Many experts in architecture say that when buildings are taller, they appear to be more elegant and graceful. The stained glass that is used in church windows is there to tell the stories from the Bible. When churches first began being constructed, centuries ago, the vast majority of the people who attended the services were not able to read so the visual depictions of the Biblical stories was a key part of church construction. The church steeples had a similar purpose.
When you look at the church steeples history, it is important to note that in many areas, this was the tallest building in town. The church bells would be put in the top of the church steeples. When they were higher above the ground, the bells could be heard for longer distances. With no obstructions to keep the sound from going as far as possible. This allowed church officials to let people who out working in their fields know of church services or other events happening at the church. If there were emergencies that needed the attention of the entire community, using the church bells to reach people was one way to get people in to the church. The church steeple was visible to everyone in the area so they could find it even if they were not familiar with the area.
Church steeple designs often include a weathervane, cross or some other decorative item. Some church steeples have clocks on them so people in the community would know what time it was and make it to the services at the church on time. Clocks were not always put on church steeples because some congregations could not afford them. Whether they used bells to alert people to the start of church services or if they had clocks to help people get in on time, when churches began popping up in the United States, even before the country was called that, they all had church steeples.
Another reason churches have been built with steeples is that they were put in to prevent any evil spirits from going into the churches. This is another interesting part of church steeples history. The sharpness of the steeples, the steep roofs associated with them and the addition of gargoyles were all thought to protect people who were at church for worship from evil spirits and other creatures. They are also thought to show what evils lie outside of the walls of the church and what people are protected from when they are inside the church building.
In today’s world, churches are no longer built at the center of town. More and more churches are being built along the fringes of towns and cities. No longer is the church steeple the tallest building in a city or town. Many churches are still considered to be majestic buildings that are beautiful monuments to religion and worship. Throughout the church steeples history, these structures have had a lot of meanings and served many purposes. For many, while they may not wait to hear the church bells ring to head over for church services but the steeples still have an importance and the ability to evoke certain emotions that other structures cannot match.
The overall design of churches and church steeples has changed a lot over the years but one thing that has not changed is their ability to comfort and inspire people everywhere.
