Architectural Miracles can be found in all era of life, from the ancient to the present creative structures have formed the basis of our modern society.Thanks to the innovative and impressive minds of designers, many architectural features of today are modern and intriguing. However, some from yesteryear are just as spectacular — and, better still, often have a fascinating story behind them. Below we have a list of 10 such intriguing and rather odd architectural features from the past.
Witch Windows
Witch windows are windows rotated 45 degrees and placed in the gable-end wall of a house. Being diagonal and parallel to the roof slope means that these windows could be fitted in places where traditional windows did not otherwise fit. It has also been suggested that witch windows were installed as a result of cold winters in Vermont (where they are most popular), as many traditional windows let in too much of a draft in winter.
The curious name “witch window” is derived from the superstition that witches could not fly inside the house through these windows. Sometimes, these windows also go by the name “coffin windows,” either because of their shape (which resembles coffins) or because it was through these odd windows that coffins were removed from the house if it was not possible to do so in any other way. Other less popular names for these windows include “lazy windows,” “sideways windows,” and “Vermont windows.”