A ridge turret is a

turret Turret may refer to: * Turret (architecture), a small tower that projects above the wall of a building * Gun turret, a mechanism of a projectile-firing weapon * Objective turret, an indexable holder of multiple lenses in an optical microscope * Mi ...

or small

tower A tower is a tall Nonbuilding structure, structure, taller than it is wide, often by a significant factor. Towers are distinguished from guyed mast, masts by their lack of guy-wires and are therefore, along with tall buildings, self-supporting ...

constructed over the ridge or apex between two or more sloping roofs of a building. It is usually built either as an architectural ornament for purely decorative purposes or else for the practical housing of a clock, a bell or an observation platform. Its function is thus different from that of a

roof lantern A roof lantern is a daylighting architectural element. Architectural lanterns are part of a larger roof and provide natural light into the space or room below. In contemporary use it is an architectural skylight structure. A lantern roof wil ...

, despite a frequent similarity of external appearance. It can have a flat roof but usually has a pointed roof or other kind of apex over. When the height of a roof turret exceeds its width it is usually called a tower or

steeple In architecture, a steeple is a tall tower on a building, topped by a spire and often incorporating a belfry and other components. Steeples are very common on Christian churches and cathedrals and the use of the term generally connotes a religi ...

in English architecture, and when the height of a ridge turret's roof exceeds its width, it is called a

spire A spire is a tall, slender, pointed structure on top of a roof of a building or tower, especially at the summit of church steeples. A spire may have a square, circular, or polygonal plan, with a roughly conical or pyramidal shape. Spires are ...

in English architecture or a

flèche Flèche or Fleche may refer to: *Flèche (architecture), a type of church spire *Flèche (cycling), a team cycling competition *Flèche (fencing) The flèche is an aggressive offensive fencing technique used with foil and épée. Background ...

in French architecture.

Images

Mairie Ars Moselle.jpg, Ridge turret on

Ars-sur-Moselle Ars-sur-Moselle (, literally ''Ars on Moselle''; german: Ars an der Mosel) is a commune in the Moselle department in Grand Est in northeastern France. History Ars-sur-Moselle was a part of Germany, in the imperial territory of Alsace-Lorraine, ...

town hall, France Kloster Einsiedeln IMG 6353.JPG, Ridge turret on Benedictine abbey in

Einsiedeln Einsiedeln () is a municipality and district in the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland known for its monastery, the Benedictine Einsiedeln Abbey, established in the 10th century. History Early history There was no permanent settlement in the area p ...

, Switzerland Greenlane Clinical Centre Old Buildings I.jpg, Ridge turret on Greenlane Medical Centre in

Greenlane Greenlane is a central isthmus suburb in Auckland, New Zealand. It is bounded by Epsom to the west, Newmarket to the north, Remuera to the east and One Tree Hill to the south. The Greenlane shops are situated at the intersection of Great Sout ...

, Auckland, New Zealand. Rapperswil - Liebfrauenkapelle - Schloss Kräutergarten 2011-08-06 15-08-24.jpg, Ridge tower of the

Liebfrauenkapelle Liebfrauenkapelle ("St. Mary Chapel") is a chapel in Rapperswil, Canton of St. Gallen, Switzerland, which dates back to the ossuary that was built by the House of Rapperswil around 1253 AD. Geography The chapel is located next to the Stadtpfarrk ...

Rapperswil Rapperswil ( Swiss German: or ;Andres Kristol, ''Rapperswil SG (See)'' in: ''Dictionnaire toponymique des communes suisses – Lexikon der schweizerischen Gemeindenamen – Dizionario toponomastico dei comuni svizzeri (DTS, LSG)'', Centre de dia ...

, Switzerland Predigerkirche - Künstlergasse 2011-08-10 09-48-22.jpg, The high ridge turret of

Predigerkirche Zürich Predigerkirche is one of the four main churches of the old town of Zürich, Switzerland, besides Fraumünster, Grossmünster and St. Peter. First built in 1231 AD as a Romanesque church of the then Dominican ''Predigerkloster'', the Basilica was ...

, its clock tower in the background. Architectural elements Roofs Turrets {{Architecturalelement-stub