We travel for many reasons, we do it to explore the world we live in and its wonders, natural, artistic, historical and architectural. We also do it to live and share extraordinary experiences and touch the culture and traditions of distant peoples. What is certain is that we would never think of doing that visit the house.
But that there is not just any house in Normandy, but the narrowest in the world. A decidedly unusual and bizarre entry that turned a building created by Erwin Wurm into a real one tourist attraction. Reason? It is a true work of art, miniature jewel which impressed critics and travelers alike.
With its small dimensions – 7×1.3×16 meters – Narrow house – that’s its name – is visited, contemplated and photographed every day by adventurers from all over the world. Here’s where it is and how to visit it.
Narrow House:
Welcome to the narrowest house in the world
Make room on your travel bucket list: there’s a new place to get to and its name is Place Claude Érignac. We are in Normandy, more precisely in Le Havre, a French village on the right bank of the Seine estuary.
Although far from the most popular paths of mass tourism, this one the city knows how to surprise like few. Not only for its size and inhabitants, which make it the first city in Normandy, but also for the city center, rebuilt by Auguste Perret, which was included in the so-called UNESCO World Heritage List.
If these reasons are not enough for you to travel to Le Havre, then we warn you Narrow housea unique tourist attraction like no other, worth the whole trip in itself. The narrowest house in the world, an artwork bearing the signature of Erwin Wurm, in fact redefined the form of the Place Claude Érignac. The installation, which can be visited but is not very habitable due to its dimensions, features and details, was welcomed attention of art enthusiasts and travelers from everywhere.
How to visit Erwin Wurm’s Narrow House
It can be visited, it is the narrowest house in the world, and that is enough to reach Le Havre. Erwin Wurm’s installation, as expected, frames Place Claude Érignac and becomes a tourist attraction open to the public from June 24, 2022.
Its dimensions speak for themselves: the Narrow House actually measures just 7x13x16 meters and stands out, certainly not for its grandeur, in the tree-lined garden that surrounds it. But contrary to what you might think, it’s not just an empty shell because its interior They are available to the most curious.
The facilities of the Narrow House are small, cramped and almost claustrophobic, but expertly designed. Of course, don’t expect traditional furniture, because those present in The environment of the narrowest house in the world is almost surreal. Just as the walls of the rooms narrow and widen, they encourage visitors to rethink the spaces and discuss them in a new way.
Erwin Wurm made various models of this house over the years, all inspired by his childhood home although reinterpreted in a surrealist and visionary way, one of them was also in Italy, in Venice, on the occasion of the Biennale 2011. Now, however, Narrow House has become a permanent installation, as well as a a must see for anyone traveling to Normandy.