A staircase tower or stair tower (German: Treppenturm, also Stiegenturm or Wendelstein) is a tower-like wing of a building with a circular or polygonal plan that contains a stairwell, usually a helical staircase.
Staircase tower with no external door on the church of Saint-Pierre-ès-Liens in Rampoux (Lot), France
Only a few examples of staircase towers have survived from ancient times (e.g. on the Imperial Baths in Trier); staircases were often superfluous on the only single-storey buildings or were built into the outer walls of buildings that were often several feet thick. This tradition continued in the keeps (donjons), churches and castles of the early and high Middle Ages; and this situation only changed with the increasing construction of purpose-built and generally rather undecorated staircase towers of the High and Late Middle Ages (Romanesque and Gothic architecture styles).
Since the Renaissance period, staircase towers were markedly more decorative and representative of status. Stairs were now rarely hidden or built externally, but there were both artistically designed, curved and straight-running staircases inside the building with ornate ceilings and railings (e. g. Château de Chambord, Palazzo Barberini and Château d'Azay-le-Rideau or Château de Chenonceau). With the increasing construction of straight staircases with intermediate landings (the modern stairwells) separate staircase towers became gradually rarer.
staircase, tower, this, article, includes, list, references, related, reading, external, links, sources, remain, unclear, because, lacks, inline, citations, please, help, improve, this, article, introducing, more, precise, citations, september, 2022, learn, wh. This article includes a list of references related reading or external links but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations Please help improve this article by introducing more precise citations September 2022 Learn how and when to remove this message A staircase tower or stair tower German Treppenturm also Stiegenturm or Wendelstein is a tower like wing of a building with a circular or polygonal plan that contains a stairwell usually a helical staircase Staircase tower with no external door on the church of Saint Pierre es Liens in Rampoux Lot France Contents 1 History 2 Examples 3 See also 4 References 5 Further reading 6 External linksHistory editOnly a few examples of staircase towers have survived from ancient times e g on the Imperial Baths in Trier staircases were often superfluous on the only single storey buildings or were built into the outer walls of buildings that were often several feet thick This tradition continued in the keeps donjons churches and castles of the early and high Middle Ages and this situation only changed with the increasing construction of purpose built and generally rather undecorated staircase towers of the High and Late Middle Ages Romanesque and Gothic architecture styles Since the Renaissance period staircase towers were markedly more decorative and representative of status Stairs were now rarely hidden or built externally but there were both artistically designed curved and straight running staircases inside the building with ornate ceilings and railings e g Chateau de Chambord Palazzo Barberini and Chateau d Azay le Rideau or Chateau de Chenonceau With the increasing construction of straight staircases with intermediate landings the modern stairwells separate staircase towers became gradually rarer Examples edit nbsp Chateau de Blois France nbsp Wasserschloss Bad Rappenau Germany France Former abbey church of Saint Menoux Chateau de Blois Loire region Chateau de Chambord Loire region Chateau de Tanlay departement of Yonne Germany Albrechtsburg Meissen Lutherhaus Wittenberg Latscha Building Frankfurt Ostend Hesse Dresden Castle Dresden Bertholdsburg Castle Schleusingen Thuringia Hartenfels Palace Torgau Schloss Johannisburg Aschaffenburg Franconia Schloss Kothen Anhalt Weitersroda Castle Hildburghausen Thuringia Wilhelmsburg Castle Schmalkalden Thuringia Ireland Reeves Castle County KildareSee also editTraboule a special type of staircase towerReferences editFurther reading editHans Koepf Gunther Binding Bildworterbuch der Architektur Kroner Stuttgart 2001 ISBN 978 3 520 19404 6External links edit nbsp The dictionary definition of staircase tower at Wiktionary nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Staircase towers nbsp This architectural element related article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Staircase tower amp oldid 1110153772, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
