The top of a building is called the pinnacle.
Pinnacle is the top and tallest part of a temple or other type of building . It is a characteristic construction element of Gothic architecture , although it also spread to other styles.
For example: “I am fascinated by the pinnacle of the cathedral” , “A man threw himself from the pinnacle of the Church of San Andrés and is hospitalized in serious condition” , “The architect stated that he has already defined how he will develop the pinnacle of the cathedral”. construction" .
What is a pinnacle
You have to go to Latin to be able to find the etymological origin of the term that concerns us now. It comes from the word pinnaculum , the highest area of a roof, which is made up of two clearly differentiated parts: the word pinna , which means "wing" , and the suffix -culum , which was instrumental in nature.
The pinnacle, therefore, is the terminal ornament of a building . It generally has a pyramidal or conical shape, with various ornamentations. The most common pinnacles are made of stone , although it is possible to find lead pinnacles.
A pinnacle is a terminal ornament.
The aesthetics
In terms of aesthetics, the pinnacle manages to stylize the image of the building and provides a feeling of greater height. In any case, this element also fulfills a construction function, since it concentrates the oblique forces that come from the flying buttresses and, by increasing the vertical force, it prevents lateral thrusts and destabilization of the walls.
This is especially important in Gothic buildings , whose walls are very high and have numerous openings. Therefore, these walls do not have great resistance to counteract the weight of the roof. The pinnacles manage to improve the stability of the building, preventing the curvature of the walls or even collapse.
Characteristics of the pinnacles of Seville
However, we cannot ignore that in various corners of the world, although they share these essential characteristics, we find other types of pinnacles that are equally significant but have different nuances. Thus, for example, in Seville in numerous historical buildings there are ornaments of this kind, of which we can highlight the following signs of identity:
- They are made of glazed ceramic.
- They come in both conical and pyramidal shapes. However, there are also vase-shaped ones and even pineapple-shaped ones.
- Within the regionalist architecture of Andalusia at the beginning of the 20th century, it should be noted that the pinnacles acquired great relevance. Many of them were made by the Sevillian architect Aníbal González Álvarez-Ossorio , who created them for two key spaces in the city: the Plaza de España and the María Luisa Park .
Other uses of the notion
In a symbolic sense, the most sublime part of an immaterial thing or science is known as the pinnacle: “Experts believe that this discovery is the pinnacle of modern chemistry and will give rise to a new era of knowledge.”
In the field of games and video games there is also a famous pinnacle. This is the Pinnacle of the Vortex , which is a dungeon for players between levels 82 and 84 . The Elemental Plane of Air is where it is located within the game World of Craft .
In Spain and other countries, finally, the pinnacle is a card game for four players that uses two American decks.