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  • staircases in medieval castles

    From JAB@21:1/5 to All on Wed Sep 6 20:34:03 2023
    Ever wonder why most staircases in medieval castles were built to be
    extremely narrow and spiraling in a clockwise direction? Since
    medieval castles were built mainly as fortifications, staircases were
    designed to make it extremely difficult for enemy combatants to fight
    their way up.

    Since most soldiers were right-handed, they would need to round each
    curve of the inner wall before attempting to strike, inevitably
    exposing themselves in the process. The clockwise spiral staircase
    also allowed the defenders to use the inner wall as a partial shield
    and easily allow them to swing their weapon without being hindered by
    the curvature of the outer wall.

    The stairs were also intentionally poorly lit and built to be uneven,
    making it even more difficult for the attackers to gain any sort of
    balance or momentum during their fight up to capture the castle.

    https://twitter.com/historyinmemes/status/1699126739077632278

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From JAB@21:1/5 to JAB on Wed Sep 6 21:11:03 2023
    On Wed, 06 Sep 2023 20:34:03 -0500, JAB <here@is.invalid> wrote:

    Ever wonder why most staircases in medieval castles were built to be >extremely narrow and spiraling in a clockwise direction?

    Dispelling Some Myths: Spiral Staircases
    Updated: Aug 22, 2021
    ...
    ...
    Guilty of believing that spiral staircases always twist clockwise, it
    is time to dispel that particular myth. So, here is James' account of
    one of the ten myths associated with mediaeval buildings, and the
    (often more interesting) realities hiding behind them.


    https://www.tastesofhistory.co.uk/post/dispelling-some-myths-spiral-staircases

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Michael Trew@21:1/5 to JAB on Fri Sep 8 19:02:38 2023
    On 9/6/2023 10:11 PM, JAB wrote:
    On Wed, 06 Sep 2023 20:34:03 -0500, JAB<here@is.invalid> wrote:

    Ever wonder why most staircases in medieval castles were built to be
    extremely narrow and spiraling in a clockwise direction?

    Dispelling Some Myths: Spiral Staircases

    I know that spiral staircases were popular in firehouses, so the horses
    pulling the carts didn't wander up the stairs.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From JAB@21:1/5 to michael.trew@att.net on Fri Sep 8 18:44:31 2023
    On Fri, 08 Sep 2023 19:02:38 -0400, Michael Trew
    <michael.trew@att.net> wrote:

    I know that spiral staircases were popular in firehouses, so the horses >pulling the carts didn't wander up the stairs.


    These new, more efficient, higher water capacity trucks were pulled by
    horses. While the horses were stabled downstairs with the engines, the
    firemen slept and cooked upstairs. Horses would follow the food smells
    and climb the stairs. To prevent the horses from doing this, the
    firemen installed spiral staircases.

    https://www.redzone.co/2016/09/09/spiral-staircases-fire-poles/

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Michael Trew@21:1/5 to JAB on Sat Sep 9 13:28:07 2023
    On 9/8/2023 7:44 PM, JAB wrote:
    On Fri, 08 Sep 2023 19:02:38 -0400, Michael Trew
    <michael.trew@att.net> wrote:

    I know that spiral staircases were popular in firehouses, so the horses
    pulling the carts didn't wander up the stairs.


    These new, more efficient, higher water capacity trucks were pulled by horses. While the horses were stabled downstairs with the engines, the firemen slept and cooked upstairs. Horses would follow the food smells
    and climb the stairs. To prevent the horses from doing this, the
    firemen installed spiral staircases.

    https://www.redzone.co/2016/09/09/spiral-staircases-fire-poles/

    Our central fire station in downtown East Liverpool was built over 90
    years ago, I believe. I'd imagine that they still have a fire pole and
    spiral staircase, but I couldn't say if either were still used. I've
    always wanted to try one of those fire poles... perhaps I should
    befriend a firefighter, LOL.

    Ooh, I found pictures:

    http://www.eastliverpoolhistoricalsociety.org/CentralFirestation.htm

    It appears that the fire pole is present, but not in use. No spiral stairs.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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