Go Back  Fodor's Travel Talk Forums > Destinations > Europe
Reload this Page >

What Odd/Interesting European architectural (or similar) details have you observed?

What Odd/Interesting European architectural (or similar) details have you observed?

Old Feb 28th, 2013, 05:46 AM
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 11,770
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
What Odd/Interesting European architectural (or similar) details have you observed?

What odd/interesting/unique details have you seen in Europe. [This topic probably has been covered in different threads, but I'm missing Europe and have no trip planned.]

I had a staircase in Haarlem that was only a few degrees from being a vertical ladder. It was that steep.

Of course, there are the the blue flies in the Netherland urinals.

I asked about this previously, but the small indentations near the ground outside doorways in Bruges (for cleaning off shoes/boots).

Not particularly unusual, but the light timers in some small hotels can leave you in a dark hallway.

Not sure why they are like this, but some of the doors in Europe (maybe just france?) have the knob in the center of the door.

Care to share?
Bitter is offline  
Old Feb 28th, 2013, 05:52 AM
  #2  
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 23,773
Likes: 0
Received 6 Likes on 1 Post
My (door)knob is in the center.

Maybe a little session of caryatids and telamones will cheer you up? ---> http://tinyurl.com/yh5oo79
kerouac is online now  
Old Feb 28th, 2013, 06:06 AM
  #3  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 11,770
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Thank you! Forgive me, but the police station telamones remind me more of some kind of fascist architecture.

Kind of interesting to see the juxtaposition of the "Journal of Soir" (evening?) and caryatides, and what appears to now be a corner market.
Bitter is offline  
Old Feb 28th, 2013, 06:26 AM
  #4  
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 25,493
Received 4 Likes on 4 Posts
The blue flys are a copy of good old Mr Crapper's bees (which in Latin are "Apis" which if pronounced carefully is what you do.
bilboburgler is offline  
Old Feb 28th, 2013, 06:31 AM
  #5  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 49,560
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Lauze roofs in the Périgord.
StCirq is offline  
Old Feb 28th, 2013, 06:35 AM
  #6  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 11,770
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I think in Rothenberg among the red tiles in the roof, there were also clear ones (presumably to allow light in). Not skylights, but just clear tile.
Bitter is offline  
Old Feb 28th, 2013, 06:36 AM
  #7  
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 17,268
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Two features of most British cities:

- in affluent English urban residential streets with purpose-built houses dating from before about 1900, the circular cast iron lid in the ground in front of each multistorey house, through which coal was delivered (the poor lived in tenement blocks or one-up, one-down house with no basement). They're almost all exceptionally elaborate, astonishingly varied and there's a monograph on them I keep meaning to read.

- in all houses built before May 1840: spot how large a proportion of front doors are original by the placement and workmanship of the letterbox. Within a few years of the introduction of the Universal Penny Post, virtually the entire national stock of front doors had a letterbox retrofitted. by sawing a space out and surrounding it with a brass or iron outline.
flanneruk is offline  
Old Feb 28th, 2013, 06:41 AM
  #8  
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 17,268
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Don't all urban front doors, if they have an exterior knob, have it in the middle?
flanneruk is offline  
Old Feb 28th, 2013, 07:07 AM
  #9  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 11,770
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
flanner, not in the us. Ours are usually on the left or right (Maybe right on the exterior side). I suppose it is for leverage and right handed folks?? It also allows for an incorporated tongue/latch operated by the knob (without drilling all the way into the middle of the door).
Bitter is offline  
Old Feb 28th, 2013, 07:34 AM
  #10  
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 17,268
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
"t also allows for an incorporated tongue/latch operated by the knob "

Isn't that what the lock's for?
flanneruk is offline  
Old Feb 28th, 2013, 07:46 AM
  #11  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 49,560
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
All urban front doors here in DC have the knob on the right. Same in the rural French village where my house is.
StCirq is offline  
Old Feb 28th, 2013, 07:55 AM
  #12  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 11,770
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Flanner, I don't know how yours operates. We have "deadbolts" which are often independent of the knob. But we also have latches that are incorporated into the handle/knob and the latch is operated by a twist of the knob or press of a tongue.
Bitter is offline  
Old Feb 28th, 2013, 07:57 AM
  #13  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 11,770
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
example

http://handymanbill.hubpages.com/hub...rior-door-lock
Bitter is offline  
Old Feb 28th, 2013, 01:00 PM
  #14  
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 23,773
Likes: 0
Received 6 Likes on 1 Post
There are entire sections of Paris that do not look a bit like Paris. I always wonder how visitors deal with this when they pop out of the metro in such an area.

http://anyportinastorm.proboards.com...ay&thread=4802
kerouac is online now  
Related Topics
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
texasbookworm
Europe
5
Dec 30th, 2016 09:16 AM
TMWeddle
United States
7
Oct 21st, 2015 07:12 AM
Graziella5b
United States
10
Jan 11th, 2015 06:55 AM
Melaine
Europe
10
Aug 2nd, 2012 06:23 PM
peggionthego
Asia
4
Mar 19th, 2007 10:33 AM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are On


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -