Latrine Pensile
The medieval bathroom.
Walking through the medieval streets of Siena, it’s easy to get lost in the beauty of stone palazzos, narrow alleys, and centuries of history. But look up carefully and you might notice a small box jutting out from a wall.
Not a balcony. Not a shrine. It’s a Latrina pensile
A medieval bathroom.
Latrina, from the Latin latrina, meaning a bathroom, privy, or place for washing/excrement. Pensile, from the Latin pensilis, meaning “hanging” or “suspended.” It comes from the verb pendere — “to hang.”
Therefore : “Latrina pensile” = “hanging latrine” or “suspended toilet.”
These latrine pensili—were once a luxury for wealthy families. Inside was simply a hole in the floor. Waste dropped into the narrow alley below or sometimes through terracotta pipes into the city’s underground drainage tunnels known as the bottini.
Placing the latrine outside the buildings helped keep unpleasant smells away from the living quarters, while a tiny window provided ventilation.
Most were built of wood and disappeared long ago, leaving behind only the stone brackets still visible today.
So the next time you stroll through a Tuscan village and spot one of these curious little boxes, remember: in medieval times it was considered a sign of comfort and privilege…
Though the people walking underneath may have had a different opinion. 😉
If you are interested in more Italian bathroom stories, check out my newsletter from last April 26 “Behind The Bidet”
Till next time for a new Tuscan discovery or whatever else crosses my path.
Ciao
Tino
How interesting, with all the photos I took whilst travelling around Italy I can’t say I ever noticed one of these, I had better go and have another look.
Amazing how that subject never came to my mind on how they addressed bathroom requirements back then!
Makes sense 😀
Thank-You Tino