# Meaning of a Steeple **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 7, 2001, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-a-steeple/85875 "2001-10-07T03:06:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2001, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-a-steeple/85875/1 "2001-10-07T03:06:19Z")
What is the meaning of a steeple(sp?). Is it purely ornimental or does it have some religious meaning to it? ---
**Author:** ![Chickenhead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7cd45c/32.png) [@Chickenhead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chickenhead)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2001, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-a-steeple/85875/2 "2001-10-07T04:32:23Z")
It’s a big ol’ peen. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2001, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-a-steeple/85875/3 "2001-10-07T04:41:10Z")
And without challenging Dr. Freud, it can also be noted that placing bells in a tower keeps them from deafening people on the street while allowing their peals to be heard over a farther distance. Once you’ve built a bell tower, it does not hurt to put a roof on it. (And, of course, what design you give such a tower might, indeed, be influenced by the sort of thing that Dr. Freud found so interesting.) ---
**Author:** ![kniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@kniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kniz)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2001, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-a-steeple/85875/4 "2001-10-07T04:59:02Z")
It also helps people find the church. ---
**Author:** ![flodnak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2001, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-a-steeple/85875/5 "2001-10-07T06:14:20Z")
And, metaphorically, it could be said to represent striving for Heaven, reaching for higher values, or a number of other things that would fit in nicely with how Christians see themselves. ---
**Author:** ![Chez\_Guevara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2001, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-a-steeple/85875/6 "2001-10-07T06:23:14Z")
Steeples can also be useful when The Forces Of Darkness want to get rid of somebody. To the accompaniment of crashing thunder, lightning, heavy rain, suspensful music etc., the steeple can be snapped off the church roof and sent hurtling downwards to pierce the heart of the unfortunate, and somewhat surprised victim. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2001, 9:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-a-steeple/85875/7 "2001-10-07T09:25:43Z")
I found it interesting to learn that the reason that churches almost all have those pointed archway designs around doors and windows is simply because that was the style of that part of the Middle East where Christianity originated. ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2001, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-a-steeple/85875/8 "2001-10-07T15:35:11Z")
IIRC those “pointed archway designs around doors and windows” are to keep those big walls with all those big windows from crumbling under their own weight.