Anti-Toilets in Vienna and Klosterneuburg

Anti-toilets or urine deflectors were placed in a city’s building corners to prevent people from urinating on the street. Such a solution to urban hygiene has been used for centuries, as, for example, can be seen in ancient Venice. Here pissottas (“pee bumps”) were installed as can be seen here and here. If one tries to urinate, they will be showered with their own pee.

In Victorial London urine deflectors were installed, examples of which can be seen here.

More examples from both Venice and London here.

These still serve a purpose, though I think most people don’t know what they are.

Having read about “anti-toilets” before, as soon as I saw these metal barriers in Vienna and Klosterneuburg I knew what purpose they served. In Vienna and Klosterneuburg the anti-toilets are not deflectors but rather metal barriers that prevent people from standing in corners. Thus they also prevent people from loitering.

Vienna

Klosterneuburg

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