Day 157 of Wonder

My knowledge of local historical law is a bit sketchy but I'm fascinated by how buildings were constructed to avoid paying land tax. This half-timbered house is typical of an era that expanded in size the higher up it went. The square metre covered on the ground was used to calculate the buildings worth. So on ground level the size was as small as they were prepared to build. Each subsequent level grew out over the road below. This amazing example in Bad Wimpfen looks quite sedate compared to some I've seen which appear to defy gravity. Whatever the reason for these architectural wonders, I love that so many of them linger on, a reminder of an eclectic past.