The church spire emerged in the 12th century as a visual symbol of the church's heavenly aspirations and the faith of its builders. Its design was also regarded as illustrative of the wealth and prestige of the religious order or patron who commissioned the building. Similarly, a church dome represented the heavens and eternity, with the highest point of the structure reaching towards the sky. The most impressive examples of these celestial skyscrapers are found in Europe, but several equally spectacular steeples can be admired beyond the continent. So, what are the 30 tallest church spires and domes in the world?
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ecclesiastical wonders that are heavens above the rest.