Havana, Cuba

Andy Lindenberg of King + King Architects sent me an article that answers a question I’ve pondered on occasion…why are there so many giant old doors? 

TBH, I thought I’d find more photos of myself posing in front of big doors, but I could only come up with two…I guess I need to make it a priority to go on more trips!  Next up – Colombia!

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When visiting a historic site — whether an ancient or medieval castle, cathedral, or statehouse — you may have noticed an eye-catching detail about the architecture: doors that are far larger than those found in modern buildings.

Casablanca, Morocco

Today, a standard interior door is typically 80 inches (6 feet, 8 inches) tall and 28 inches to 36 inches wide, while exterior doors are usually the same height but range from 32 inches to 42 inches wide for single doors and 60 inches to 72 inches for double doors. Historically, however, door sizes varied widely, reflecting architectural styles and cultural priorities. Doors built on an impressive scale, often towering over their modern counterparts, adorned buildings of all kinds, but these oversized entryways weren’t just for aesthetics. Here are some reasons historical doors tend to be so large…

Click here to read the rest of the article.

P.S. Typical commercial door sizes vary from the sizes shown in this article.

Have you seen any big doors lately?

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