A tower is a structure that differs from ordinary buildings due to its height that is disproportionately taller than surrounding, lateral construction. Towers were built for several key purposes so when trying to decode the tower symbol in a dream, it is helpful to look for the details of the tower as well as contextual clues.

Were there any distinguishing features of the tower in your dream? What was it made of? It is not uncommon to dream of a tower made of stone, for example, but if it is made of an unusual material such as feathers or flowers, then it is something to note. Here are other features to pay attention to:

1. Material
2. Color
3. Height-unusually tall or short?
4. Strength-firm or rickety?
5. Stairs or elevator?
6. Is it from a particular era or period of time?
7. Surrounding buildings

All these details reflect the meaning of the dream. Consider what towers are made for. Can you tell what type of tower is in the dream? Tower for…

Communication. Fires were lit or flags were raised from towers to communicate with others in faraway places. Today, we have cell phone “towers” that aid communication.
Ascetic purposes. Contemplation, meditation, solitary communion with God, spiritual pursuits.
Higher learning. Academic elitism, specialized study.
Protection. People got shut away in towers for protection.
Imprisonment. They also got shut away as punishment.
Surveillance. High vantage point was a war advantage. To be on the look-out for approaching danger. But it also allowed rulers to keep watch over subjects.

Tower dream meanings

If other dream elements point to a spirituality theme, to dream of a tower can represent higher spiritual knowledge.

If there are no other spiritual elements in the dream, the tower can symbolize earthly goals and aspirations.

Consider the other dream elements surrounding the tower in a dream, along with the feelings elicited in the dreamer. The feelings and emotions of the dreamer are key. If he is standing in the top of the tower, looking out a window, with a fearful feeling, this dream could be warning him to be on guard for outside threats. However, if he has a peaceful feeling, he can expect to receive new information.

Critics point to these ambiguous or even conflicting definitions as proof that dreams are meaningless. But that is not so. This only shows that dream interpretation is not as simple as looking up definitions in a dream dictionary. Just as one cannot diagnose his illness by relying only upon an online symptom checker, dreams cannot be interpreted accurately by reading dream symbol dictionaries because the meanings rely upon dream context, the whole dream, as well as the dreamer’s life experiences.