https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/what-are-cow-chapels
"The restaurant at Wasem, a fourth-generation family winery in Germany’s
largest wine region, Rheinhessen, is simply yet stylishly furnished. Its stone
walls are painted white, its wooden floors are polished, and its banquettes are
a dark gray that matches the tall, round columns supporting the room’s elegant
cross-vault ceiling. The pillars and arched ceiling give the restaurant a
distinctly religious atmosphere, but the original building—erected in 1858—was
never frequented by churchgoers. It housed cows.
Rheinhessen’s history of intensive agriculture and viticulture stretches back
to the ancient Roman era. After the agricultural revolution of the 18th
century, farmers decided to increase their cattle’s yield by keeping them in
stables and using their manure to fertilize their arable crops. The animals
were originally housed in the sort of charming half-timbered buildings that
attract tourists today. But with their small size, they quickly reached
capacity, and storing hay and straw above the livestock presented a serious
fire risk. Half-timbered constructions were unhygienic, too: Vapors and heat
caused beams to rot quickly, and wood soaked with excrement was a breeding
ground for disease.
A larger, safer alternative was needed, but it wasn’t until the beginning of
the 19th century that one presented itself. And it happened entirely by
chance."
Via Muse, who wrote "Fun article!"
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*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
