Maison étroite, Historic building in Niort, France
The Maison étroite is a historic building in Niort distinguished by its remarkably narrow width set within the old town. The structure was built on a tiny plot and demonstrates how living and working spaces were arranged within tight constraints.
The building was constructed during a period when Niort was densely populated and land was at a premium. Its narrow design reflects a practical solution that developed over time in this region.
The building shows how builders solved the challenge of living space in a crowded medieval town center. Walking past it, you notice the clever way every inch of the narrow plot was made useful for daily life.
The building can be viewed from the street while walking through the old town, and it is easily accessible on foot from the train station. You can observe it during a leisurely stroll without needing special arrangements or advance planning.
Despite its extreme narrowness, the building manages to contain multiple floors with full rooms inside. This vertical solution reveals how builders had to compensate for horizontal constraints by building upward.
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