Schmalstes Haus, Johannisplatz 9, Eisenach, Historic half-timbered building in Eisenach, Germany.
Schmalstes Haus stands only 2.05 meters wide on Johannisplatz, earning recognition as Germany's narrowest half-timbered building. The structure spans two floors within its roughly 20-square-meter footprint.
This building has stood for more than 250 years and narrowly escaped demolition during the 1970s. Local community efforts to preserve it saved the structure from being torn down.
Locals affectionately call this building "the towel" because its width resembles a standard bath towel. Visitors immediately understand why this nickname fits so well and how residents have made this unusual structure part of their daily life.
The exterior facade is freely accessible for viewing and photography from Johannisplatz. The interior remains closed to visitors, so the experience focuses on observing the outside and exploring the surrounding square.
The building demonstrates remarkable space optimization within its confined dimensions. Its extreme narrowness allowed residents to make maximum use of expensive urban land during the 18th century.
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