All the watchtowers on the city wall of Villingen-Schwenningen are like this, here’s some more I found while on a short walk:

  • AmidFuror@fedia.io
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    6 days ago

    This was done so that if an archer approaching the tower nocks 5 arrows at the same time, he cannot hit guards in all 5 windows at once.

    Later, purposefully-designed bows rendered this defense useless.

    • 4am@lemmy.zip
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      6 days ago

      Now that actually looks like a pattern put in on purpose.

      I wonder if there was a technical reason for the windows in those watchtowers, or like if they were just trying to torment their village’s mentally challenged resident who happened to have an extreme distaste for unorderly things

    • philpo@feddit.org
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      5 days ago

      You can’t live in them directly, but I literally lived within 2min from there for a few years.

  • mossberg590@lemmy.world
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    6 days ago

    This is a clock tower. Most likely the internal mechanisms for clock precludes a centerline window. Something bolted to the wall, etc.

    • philpo@feddit.org
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      5 days ago

      These clocks were installed far later than the towers.

      The construction for the first one started in 1233.

      The one with the part of the wall missing is from 1260, they are all part of the old defence walls of the city of Villingen.

      I literally drove through two of them today.

  • YoSoySnekBoi@kbin.earth
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    6 days ago

    Once upon a time I would have linked r/FrankLloydWrong, but alas no such community exists in the Fediverse yet

    • Gumby@lemmy.world
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      5 days ago

      Is this in Pennsylvania? It looks really familiar, I stayed at a place very much like it a few years ago, I’m wondering if it’s the same place