Tower

<p>A tower is a tall <a href="/facts/Nonbuilding_structure/We5QqF7Y">structure</a>, taller than it is wide, often by a significant factor. Towers are distinguished from <a href="/facts/Guyed_mast/Y2m1Aquz">masts</a> by their lack of <a href="/facts/Guy-wires/N1R4TnKQ">guy-wires</a> and are therefore, along with tall buildings, self-supporting structures.
</p><p>Towers are specifically distinguished from <a href="/facts/Building/edSjKXje">buildings</a> in that they are built not to be habitable but to serve other functions using the <a href="/facts/Height/4dH2Im7a">height</a> of the tower. For example, the height of a <a href="/facts/Clock_tower/jtdLDPXY">clock tower</a> improves the visibility of the clock, and the height of a tower in a fortified building such as a <a href="/facts/Castle/1mKnEHKJ">castle</a> increases the visibility of the surroundings for defensive purposes. Towers may also be built for <a href="/facts/Observation_tower/RuBt6tNb">observation</a>, leisure, or <a href="/facts/Telecommunication/vxoj1cxR">telecommunication</a> purposes. A tower can stand alone or be supported by adjacent buildings, or it may be a feature on top of a larger structure or building.
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Tower open-in-new

Tower